Canadian all-rounder makes it to the 2020 Caribbean Premier League

Canadian all-rounder Saad Bin Zafar has been drafted by the St Lucia Zouks for the 2020 Caribbean Premier League (CPL). Labeled as “the biggest party in sports,” CPL’s 2020 edition is scheduled to take place from August 19 – September 26. As a result of COVID-19, all CPL 2020 matches will be played in a single host country, Trinidad & Tobago.

Saad Bin Zafar is the only Canadian drafted to any of the six CPL 2020 participating franchises: the Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Tallawahs, St Kitts Patriots, St Lucia Zouks and Trinidad & Tobago Knight Riders. His St Lucia Zouks draft inclusion is the latest installment to his continuously impressive career as an international T20 all-rounder.

Bin Zafar’s prodigious all-round talents were brought to the fore of international attention as a result of his outstanding man-of-the match performance during the final of the Inaugural Canada hosted 2018 Global Tournament, which claimed the championship for the Chris Gayle-led Vancouver Knights.

Bin Zafar scored 79 not out to lead the Vancouver Knights past its victory target of 145 posted by final opponents the West Indies B Team. Earlier, Bin Zafar had also chipped in with the ball, taking 2-26 off his allocated four overs to help restrict the West Indies B to their first strike total of 145/20 overs.

Bin Zafar made his T20 debut for Canada in 2010 in Abu Dhabi against the United Arab Emirates. Since then he has appeared in Canadian colours in 17 T20 matches and has captured 19 wickets at an average of 19.26 with his slow left-arm orthodox bowling. As a left –handed batsman Bin Zafar has so far batted in 9 T20 innings for Canada, scoring 72 runs at a 10.28 average. He made his T20 International debut for Canada in 2019 against Cayman Islands during the Bermuda hosted ICC America’s T20 World Cup Qualification Tournament. Since then, he has represented Canada further in 11 T20 International matches, taking 17 wickets at a 16.76 average and scoring 43 runs from 4 innings batted for a 14.33 average.