3 West Indies players who could bag their maiden IPL contract in 2022

West Indian players have been an integral part of T20 cricket around the globe, including the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Their all-around flair and ability to tonk the ball better than most was a key part of their success in winning two T20 World Cup titles. Players from the Caribbean nation have proved to be pivotal assets for most IPL sides as well.

In the grandest league of them all, the West Indians have always carried a buzz around them. None more so than Chris Gayle, who played his farewell IPL season last year. The Jamaican was undoubtedly one of the biggest entertainers in the IPL.

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Alongside Gayle, the likes of Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo and Andre Russell have also achieved cult status amongst fans of their respective franchises. While some of these legendary West Indians have hung their boots, it has merely paved the way for their new stars to make their mark in the IPL.

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IPL 2022 Auction: Which West Indian players can bag their maiden contract in this year?

A total of 1,241 players have registered for this year's IPL Auction, out of which 41 are West Indian players. With the much-awaited mega auction set to be held on February 12th and 13th in Bengaluru, we take a look at three West Indian players who could bag their maiden IPL contract this year.

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#3 Akeal Hosein

The West Indies setup that has been going through some chopping and changing in this transitional phase, but Akeal Hosein has cemented his spot in the team. The all-rounder has predominantly made a name for himself with his excellent bowling displays.

Hosein usually operates with the new ball in the powerplay. With a number of variations in his bag, the left-arm spinner operates at an economy rate of just 7.00 in his 15 T20I matches.

Hosein is the type of bowler who extracts every bit of turn and bounce from the surface, with an effective arm-ball to complement those skills. The Trindidadian is also a handy batter in the lower order and a livewire in the field as well.

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#2 Kyle Mayers

Kyle Mayers recently came into the limelight after his sensational Test debut against Bangladesh in Dhaka. The southpaw scored a sensational 210* to help his side chase down a daunting target of 395.

Since then, Mayers has been itching to prove that he is not a one-time wonder who pulled off something spectacular. Albeit in a different format, the all-rounder is doing his best to become an all-format player and a regular feature in the West Indian side.

More recently, the 29-year old opened the batting for his national side in the five-match T20I series against England. In the two matches he played at the top of the order, Mayers scored 75 runs at a mesmerizing strike rate of 169.

The Barbados player has been a bit of a revelation at the top of the order, making the most of the field restrictions in the first six overs. He is also an excellent player of spin bowling, as he showed on his Test debut, and can chip in a couple of overs with his medium pace as well.

Mayers plays for the Barbados Royals in the Caribbean Premier League. Incidentally, the Rajasthan Royals are the parent club of the Barbados franchise. Last season, Mayers was in line to be a replacement player for the Rajasthan Royals before the first leg was postponed due to COVID-19.

This time around, Mayers might just bag his maiden IPL contract.

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#1 Odean Smith

Odean Smith is one of the up-and-coming West Indian players who has already made a name for himself. The 25-year old is earning a reputation as the next Andre Russell with his all-round prowess.

Like Russell, Smith can demolish any bowling attack on his day. He was particularly destructive in West Indies' recent ODI series against Ireland, scoring 84 runs at a destructive strike rate of over 227.

In his premature T20I career, the bulky Jamaican cricketer has a strike rate of over 163 in four matches. While his clean-hitting has been in the limelight so far, Smith offers something unique as a big-hitting all-rounder.

The young West Indian can be rapid with the ball as well, clocking around 150kmph with regularity as he flexes his broad shoulders. Simply put, at a base price of INR 2 crore at the IPL 2022 Auction, Odean Smith offers the complete T20 package for any side.