CPL 2020: Know all about Pravin Tambe, the first Indian player to appear in Caribbean Premier League

Bengaluru, August 10: This year's Caribbean Premier League (CPL 2020) will start on August 18 at Trinidad and Tobago behind closed doors courtesy the Covid 19 crisis. But unlike the previous seven editions, this tournament will have an Indian touch to it.

We are not talking about Trinbago Knight Riders, the franchise that is having stakes by IPL outfit Kolkata Knight Riders. But here our focus is on their player Pravin Tambe, the leg-spinner from Mumbai.

More than one factor makes him an interesting ingredient in the CPL 2020. The age comes first in that. Tambe is 48, and nudging on 49. Tambe started off as a medium pacer but was asked to switch to leg-spin by his club captain Ajay Kadam. Soon, he started to impress everyone including former India players Sandeep Patil and Abey Kuruvilla with his leg-spin while playing for Shivaji Park Gymkhana.

But his life and career took a big U-Turn when he was selected for Rajasthan Royals during the IPL 2013. He was 41 then. Here was a bowler who never even played first-class cricket, got selected for an IPL franchise. Former Royals captain and coach Rahul Dravid too had cited Tambe's selection to underline his point on the opportunities the IPL throws open to domestic players.

The first two years in the IPL were a roller coaster ride for him with Royals. He emerged the highest wicket-taker in the now-defunct Champions League 2013 with 12 wickets from five matches. That he overtook bowlers like Sunil Narine, Dwayne Bravo and Marchant de Lange added several layers of credit to his feat. His performance was enough to carry the Royals to the final of the Champions League where the lost to the Mumbai Indians. He took 2 for 19 in four overs in that final.

Later, Tambe led the Purple Cap race for the highest wicket-taker in IPL 2014 till 25 matches. In that season he had also grabbed a hat-trick and man of the match award against Kolkata Knight Riders at Ahmedabad.

Tambe joined Gujarat Lions for the IPL 2016. Ahead of the IPL 2017, Sunrisers Hyderabad bought him for Rs 10 lakh and in 2019 Kolkata Knight Riders bought him ahead of IPL 2020, making him the oldest player to have ever sold in the IPL at 48.

Now, can he do an encore in the CPL 2020 with Trinbago Knight Riders?