Probable St Lucia Kings Playing XI for CPL 2021

Last year’s runners-up, St Lucia Kings will be aiming to go a step further this summer and clinch the title in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2021. They are also making a fresh start in their journey after going through a name transformation from ‘Zouks’ to ‘Kings’ heading into this year’s competition.

St Lucia-based franchise has not yet grabbed hold of the CPL trophy but are considered one of the front-runners to finally lift the coveted crown this season.

Led by Faf du Plessis, St Lucia Kings boast of a good-looking squad with reasonable depth in both departments of the game. They’ll kick off their campaign with a game against Jamaica Tallawahs on Friday (August 27) at the Warner Park in Basseterre, St Kitts, which will host the entire tournament.

Also Read: Where To Watch CPL 2021 Live ? Steaming And TV Details For Caribbean Premier League 2021

Faf du Plessis will be captaining the St Lucia Kings in CPL 2021.

What would be the St Lucia Kings Playing XI for CPL 2021?

1. Andre Fletcher (wk)

An aggressive opening batsman who can double up as a wicketkeeper, Fletcher has been a key player for St Lucia Kings. He made 211 runs from his 11 innings at a strike-rate of 127.87 in the CPL 2020 which was played on challenging surfaces in Trinidad & Tobago.

2. Rahkeem Cornwall

Moulding himself as an off-spinner who can explode at the top, Cornwall proved to be a vital contributor for his team last season. He blazed his willow for 182 runs at a strike-rate of 141.08 and delivered his overs with an economy rate of just 6.33. Pigeonholed as a Test cricketer in the West Indies set-up, the CPL 2021 offers Cornwall a chance to remind the selectors of his limited-overs prowess and push his case for the T20 World Cup coming up.

3. Faf du Plessis

Making his comeback to competitive cricket after a worryingly lengthy concussion break since getting hurt on the field during the UAE leg of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021, Du Plessis has a task on his hands to not just be up and running as a batsman but also get his thinking cap on as a leader. But the former South African skipper is only going to get more determined by the magnitude of the challenge.

4. Roston Chase

If the tracks are anywhere similar to last season, Chase could prove to be a crucial player for the St Lucia Kings because of his ability to handle spin through the middle overs. The right-hander can anchor the innings nicely. Chase had made 225 runs in CPL 2020 at an average of 37.50, although he had a strike-rate of only 110.29. He also picked up nine wickets and had an economy rate of only 4.65 from 29 overs in the competition.

5. Mark Deyal

Left-hand batter Mark Deyal could be persisted with in the Kings’ playing XI despite a poor CPL 2020 where he struck only 166 runs from his nine innings at a strike-rate of 126.71. That confidence and backing provided by the team management may just spur him and lead to better performances from his willow.

6. Tim David

Singapore-born Tim David is enjoying the pink of health with his T20 batting. David is heading into the CPL 2021 for St Lucia Kings after fantastic performances during the UAE leg of PSL 2021 and with the confidence of having just bagged his maiden IPL contract with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).

7. Samit Patel

England all-rounder Samit Patel will be important to provide Kings the ideal balance where they can field five bowlers without having to compromise on the batting front. Patel, the aggressive right-hand batter and disciplined left-arm spinner, has wealth of T20 experience under his belt. He has a batting strike-rate of 127.06 and an economy rate of 7.29 in his overall T20 career spanning 328 matches.

8. Keemo Paul

Utility cricketer Paul also helps extend the batting depth for the St Lucia Kings. He has shifted base from Guyana Amazon Warriors after last season where he took nine wickets from as many innings with an economy rate of 7.32 but couldn’t quite get going with the bat.

9. Wahab Riaz

Out of reckoning from the Pakistan selectors for a while now, left-arm paceman Riaz has a chance to reinforce his quality and send a befitting reminder of what he is capable of through a stint wth St Lucia Kings in CPL 2021.

10. Kesrick Williams

Known for his slower ball variations and interesting ‘notebook’ celebration, Williams was the second highest wicket-taker for St Lucia last CPL. He took 13 scalps from his 11 outings while going for 8.92 runs per over.

11. Obed McCoy

The 24-year-old left-arm seamer McCoy could make the St Lucia Kings playing XI only four times in the last year’s CPL and managed just a solitary wicket while going for 9.23 runs per over. But it is likely that the Kings will retain the promising quick in their XI for the league’s forthcoming edition.