CPL 2019 - Team of the tournament

It was a season of CPL which saw a great scarcity of proper all-round performances. The usual suspects in Andre Russell, Jason Holder and Carlos Brathwaite couldn't fire in all disciplines, while Dwayne Bravo was ruled out injured. There were glimpses of all-round potential in Raymon Reifer and Romario Shepherd but not enough to merit a place. Hence, it was tough to arrive at the ideal balance in both batting depth and bowling. Here's our workaround version.

Brandon King (496 runs, Avg - 55.11, S/R - 148.94) - GAW

Picked in the ninth round of the CPL draft, 24-year old Brandon King took the tournament by storm, which figuratively materialised to blow the Barbados Tridents away in the first Qualifier. His rapid-fire 132* off 72 balls - the highest individual CPL score ever - brought Guyana coach Johan Botha to tears of joy. Apart from that, King showed tremendous consistency at the top of the order, finishing as the highest run-getter. The kind of tournament he's had, being a largely unknown entity coming in, it won't be any surprise if a national call-up isn't far away.

Lendl Simmons (430 runs, Avg - 39.09, S/R - 150.34) - TKR

The move to Trinbago Knight Riders worked wonders for Lendl Simmons who gave a reminder of his ability in the shortest format after an underwhelming previous season. The right-hander struck the most number of fifties in the competition with five of them, holding his own even while the Knight Riders had a late slump. His fifty in the Eliminator stabilized a modest run-chase when it could've so easily unravelled under pressure. But unfortunately, that run of consistency was broken in the second Qualifier, blending itself into a defeat for the Knight Riders.

Glenn Phillips * (wk) (374 runs, Avg - 37.40, S/R - 144.96) - JT

It was another outstanding tournament for wicketkeeper-batsman Glenn Phillips. His efforts may not have stopped Jamaica Tallawahs from finishing last on the table, but nevertheless, it didn't stop him from getting noticed either. A blistering 87 off just 49 balls against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots was his standout performance, although his team collapsed all around him and still lost comprehensively - a fitting encapsulation of how Phillips stood tall amid the ruins for Jamaica, for whom he opened the innings but will have to make-do with the No. 3 spot here.

Shoaib Malik * (c) (317 runs, Avg - 63.40, S/R - 124.31) - GAW

Free from the responsibilities of international cricket, Shoaib Malik enjoyed his time at the CPL this year. And not just with his captaincy, which presided over an unprecedented 11-match winning streak. But his batting, unlike last season, also flourished, specializing in providing the calmness required in the middle order. While Malik mostly played the role of an anchor to guard against trouble, his quickfire twin fifties against Jamaica Tallawahs showed how he can turn it on as well when required. Also goes without saying that he'll be the captain of this team as well.

Kieron Pollard (349 runs, Avg - 58,16, S/R - 159.36) - TKR

If being named West Indies captain in limited-overs cricket wasn't special enough, Kieron Pollard was also going to turn out for his home franchise - Trinbago Knight Riders - for the very first time this year. The Knight Riders' late slump in the league stages notwithstanding, Pollard himself had another productive year at the CPL, making his presence felt with impact knocks in the lower middle-order - like the one in the Eliminator where he blitzed 26 off 9 balls to clinch a chase that was getting tricky. But he couldn't do the same in Qualifier 2, where an unfortunate run-out at a crucial juncture damaged his team's chances decisively.

Fabian Allen (218 runs, Avg - 27.25, S/R - 177.23) - SNP

Electrifying in the field, destructive with the bat, Fabian Allen's reputation keeps enhancing with every outing. His 62* off 27 balls against the Jamaica Tallawahs was pure carnage, perfect for the lower middle-order - which when allied with a decent bowling brain and his fielding exploits forms a tempting package.

Jason Holder (14 wickets at 25.71, Econ - 7.34) - BT

You think Holder and you think about the equable nature that rubs off on his team. His bowling is pretty much the same. Things might be going haywire, until Holder's control triumphs the madness. And so it was this season as well, with the tall medium-pacer keeping things tight for Barbados Tridents while also taking 14 wickets. His leadership saw young players thrive while producing results at the same team, validated by a spot in the finals. One thing that Holder won't be too happy about though would be his returns with the bat, which were quite disruptive - not just to his own team's balance, but to ours as well. However, not compromising on the bowling side - considering the top and middle orders look really formidable - we've settled for the trade-off to pick five genuine bowlers.

Sunil Narine (7 wickets at 23.14, Econ - 5.78) - TKR

It helps to know what you're going to get in T20 cricket. With Sunil Narine, it's quality. And that doesn't change even with an injured finger. Battling the pain after every ball during the Eliminator, Narine produced a spell of 2/10 in his four overs to help Trinbago Knight Riders progress. He may not have picked a whole bunch of wickets, but an economy rate of less than six is testimony to how batsmen have adopted the play-safe approach. His batting comes in handy too, even if it's not his normal position at the top of the order.

Imran Tahir * (16 wickets at 12.31, Econ - 5.62) - GAW

Even the impending toll of his mandatory celebrations, at the ripe age of 40, doesn't scare Imran Tahir from taking wickets. If anything, he's doubling down. With 15 wickets from 8 matches, at an economy of just 5.58, the leg-spinner was phenomenal for Guyana, playing a major role in their success. Be it with the fielders out, or inside the ring, Tahir excelled. Heck, he even had a wicket-maiden in the powerplay in one of the games against St Lucia Zouks. It's not always that stats tell a complete story of a player's performance, but in his case they come close. Barring one match, Tahir picked up at least two wickets in each of the eight games he played until the final. His worst figures in the tournament were 0/33. What's left to say about him.

Hayden Walsh Jr. (22 wickets at 12.68, Econ - 8.28) - BT

Originally meant to be just a back-up for Sandeep Lamichhane, USA's Hayden Walsh Jr. surpassed all expectations - of which there were very few. With his variety of leg-breaks and googlies, he bamboozled even high-quality international batsmen - the highlight being a five-for which zapped a TKR run-chase. His inclusion into the team provided a real shot in the arm for the Barbados Tridents in their pursuit of the title.

Harry Gurney * (13 wickets at 14.69, Econ - 6.16) - BT

Using a pace bowler as an overseas option is sometimes a risk, but left-armer Harry Gurney pulled his weight and a lot more. Not only did he prove to be a wicket-taking option, but even a disciplined one. He endured one bad game in Qualifier 1, getting thrashed for 0/46, in an otherwise excellent tournament. His variations of pace, and indeed those of length, towards the death overs kept batsmen guessing while reflecting nicely on the experience he's garnered from his various T20 stints across the world.