Pierre: Chance for locals to display quality

TRINBAGO Knight Riders (TKR) left-arm spinner Khary Pierre said it will be a big blow if no overseas players are involved in the 2020 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament due to the covid19 pandemic. However, Pierre is looking at the positive side saying more local and regional players will get the opportunity to show what they are made of.

Sporting events globally are being postponed or cancelled because of the virus and CPL organisers are considering a number of options to make this year’s tournament a reality. Some of the ideas being put forward are excluding overseas players because of travel restrictions, only allowing stands to be 25 per cent full and using less venues.

Playing in front of smaller crowds will be a new experience for players, as the CPL is popularly known as the Biggest Party in Sport, with non-stop entertainment.

Pierre, who grabbed ten wickets in 12 matches at an economy rate of 7.15 in last year’s tournament, commended the organisers for looking at different options to make the CPL a reality. “Sports has to come back (at some point), so I think it is a good initiative whether it is packed or 25 per cent…playing in front of your fans is something that you look forward to.”

Pierre and his TKR team-mates have grown accustom to playing in front capacity crowds. The Queen’s Park Oval and Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad have set the mark for the most electric crowds in the CPL, along with Providence Stadium in Guyana, the host venue for the Guyana Amazon Warriors.

Speaking about the possibility of no overseas players in the 2020 edition, Pierre said, “I guess that will leave room for local talent, so I think it is really good for the CPL to come up with that (plan to make CPL a reality).”

However, Pierre said international players lift the standard of the tournament.

“It will be a huge loss, definitely, because I think the international players have the experience to showcase their talent and groom the local and younger players, but I think it is an opportunity for the local players now to up their game and see what the standard is in the CPL. It is a high standard and I think the local players will up their game.”

TKR’s overseas players have made a name for themselves in the CPL especially in the 2018 tournament. New Zealand batsman Colin Munro ended the 2018 CPL as the leading run-scorer with 567 runs at an average of 51.54 and his countryman Brendon McCullum was fifth with 343 runs at an average of 26.38.

In the bowling department, Australian leg spinner Fawad Ahmed was the top wicket taker with 22 wickets at an economy rate of 6.18 and American fast bowler Ali Khan tied for third with 16 scalps.

Pierre said he is making an effort to maintain a high level of fitness during the pandemic as sports is now on a hiatus. “It is a tough time for the world and athletes on the whole, (but) you have to stay active, you have to have that mindset to want to work still. It is basically every day I tend to do my strength work. I have been working with the West Indies physio (Denis Byam) in areas that I need to strengthen.”

Pierre is also working with TT Red Force physio Clinton Jeremiah.