CPL 2021: A Wild Party in a Pandemic
Thu, Sep 16, '21
by KRISSANIA YOUNG
The Caribbean Premier League 2021 season undertook a similar format to that of when its hosts, the Trinbago Knight Riders were crowned champions invincible, in its previous edition—in being hosted by a single territory. Therefore, most fans would have settled for the contrast of this season being the most competitive in the tournament’s history. Yet, something, somewhere decided the fans deserved to be spoiled. And so, the ‘Biggest Party in Sport’ also managed to cough up the most thrilling finale in its history, as icing on the cake.
As the Kings shattered the Patriots’ perfect record just beyond the halfway mark of this season’s league stage, we were provided a subtle reminder of why the Knight Riders’ unbeaten run to the championship in 2020 was so incredible. Still, with all the respect for what Kieron Pollard managed with his Knights, I say: thank Christ there was no repeat of that. After all, the idea is for the Caribbean Premier League to get as close as possible to the leading T20 leagues around the world. And competitive high run-chase last-ball thrillers are the perfect template.
The organizers of the CPL rightly took lessons from the 2020 lecture, ‘Hosting a T20 League in a Pandemic.’ And they were better for it the second time around. This year’s tournament was a turnaround from having a first-innings average of 130, to racing up to 162. CPL 2021 also saw Evin Lewis smashing 38 sixes to break Chris Gayle’s five-year-old record (of 37 sixes) for the most sixes in a single tournament. This season was also the first time since 2017 that five teams had at least 4 wins; contributing to the final two semi-final spots remaining undecided until the final game of the league stage. As a result, there was no dead-rubber (well, maybe for the Royals in their final game, but it was far from that for the opposing Kings).
The CPL went from having one of its three champions completing a third title in four years to ensuring the crowning of a new champion when this year’s finale was set for a clash of two teams that had never gone all the way. It was already a tournament to remember. Then Warner Park served up the most beautiful tale in white-ball cricket: a last-ball thriller.
A last-ball thriller that saw Keemo Paul rise to the occasion to the tune of 39 from 21 deliveries to give the Kings a real chance at defending 159. A valiant defense that saw to the cheap dismissals of Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis; one without scoring and the other for 6, and one that must have been salivating at the scent of victory with the wicket of Fabian Allen for 20 in the 19th over—the Kings down 6 with 21 runs to get.
But then, then there was Dominic Drakes. And the rest is somewhere between a few perfect Kesrick Williams final-over yorkers, a drive through cover for four, a scrappy victory-clenching single to short fine-leg, and a sleeveless-DJ Bravo leading the ‘champion’ celebrations in front of flying St. Kitts and Nevis flags.
There is still, of course, the hope that next season will see fans returning to the grounds to support their team when the CPL comes to their country; more night games, more steelpans, more vuvuzelas, more party-like atmosphere. But as far as parties in a pandemic go, CPL 2021 has been the wildest ride so far.
