Pravin Tambe among two Indian cricketers up for grabs in CPL 2020 draft

The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) draft for the 2020 is scheduled for later on Wednesday (June 24) and a couple of Indian names will be in running for position in one of the franchises. The star from the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) back in 2008 – Pravin Tambe – the 48-year-old leg-spinner from Mumbai, will be the oldest player in the draft, according to an ESPNCricinfo website report.

Joining Pravin Tambe in the auction will be hard-hitting Railways and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batsman Asad Pathan. The 36-year-old Pathan from Gujarat is part of the draft without a base price.

Pravin Tambe had recently played the T10 league in 2018 for the Sindhis and was a regular in the Rajasthan Royals line-up between 2013 and 2015. The veteran leg-spinner was also picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders at the 2020 IPL auction, but was forced to withdraw later after the BCCI pulled him up for playing in unsanctioned cricket leagues like the T10.

Meanwhile, even before the auction, Australia batsman Chris Lynn, Afghanistan spinners Rashid Khan and Qais Ahmad, and South African batsman Rilee Rossouw have been picked up by various franchises as overseas signings for CPL 2020.

The draft, which will be a virtual event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has attracted 537 players. The CPL 2020 is scheduled to be played between August 18 and September 10 behind closed doors in Trinidad & Tobago, subject to the permission from the local government.

The report added that Lynn has been signed up for St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, while Rashid Khan has been picked by defending CPL champions Barbados Tridents. Qais Ahmad will play for Guyana Amazon Warriors while Proteas southpaw Rossouw has been hired by St Lucia Zouks.

Shahid Afridi in highest CPL bracket

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi is the only player listed in the highest base price bracket of $160,000 while England's 2019 World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan features in the $130,000 bracket.

Englishman Tom Banton, New Zealand pace bowlers Tim Southee, and Australia all-rounder Ben Cutting have been slotted in the $110,000 bracket.

The other top players registered for the CPL draft include former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis and David Miller, Afghanistan allrounder Mohammad Nabi, Australian opener D'Arcy Short, Nepal and Delhi Capitals leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, Afghanistan and Kings XI Punjab mystery spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman (all $90,000).

The CPL authorities have told all franchises to assemble their squads from August 1 with the players and support staff having to undergo two-week period in quarantine before the tournament gets underway.