The International League T20 gets underway in Dubai on January 13 and the franchises have initiated preparation mode before the six-team tournament begins. Featuring Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Desert Vipers, Dubai Capitals, Gulf Giants, MI Emirates and Sharjah Warriors, the league is not short on star power as plenty of big names are set to lock horns in the nearly month-long tournament.
Some of the biggest names in the T20 circuit will turn up for their respective franchise and one player very excited for the challenge is aggressive West Indies top-order batter Evin Lewis. Part of the Sharjah Warriors for the inaugural season, Lewis has Moeen Ali (captain), Dawid Malan, Chris Woakes and Mohammad Nabi for company and the left-hander is looking forward to share the dressing room with them. In an exclusive conversation with News18 Cricketnext, the 30-year-old talks about the tournament, his team Sharjah Warriors, West Indies cricket, and more. Excerpts:
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Inaugural season, new team and new teammates. How excited are you?
I am really excited. Can’t really wait to meet the team and join the guys. So yeah really excited…
What about sharing the dressing room with top international stars in the circuit right now?
To be honest, I am very excited. I have played against these guys in the international circuit but have never shared the same dressing room. I am just looking at meeting them now, and gelling with them in the new franchise.
Your home ground Sharjah isn’t a big one. Fancying clearing it more often than not?
(Laughs) Of course, of course. I am going to enjoy my cricket and look at playing my natural game. That I think is the most important thing.
Is the best of Evin Lewis yet to come? You are one of the few batters to have hit two T20 hundreds…
Age brings a bit more experience. I am 30 at the moment, 31 next week. So yeah I am actually looking forward to it.
West Indies are on a downward slide now with senior pros like Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Chris Gayle, and Sunil Narine no longer with the team. The recent T20 World Cup wasn’t an ideal outing. What’s your take on the current situation?
Umm… you are actually right about that. A lot of senior guys are not actually with the team anymore. As you said before, guys like me and Nicholas Pooran have been around for a while. It is actually upon us now to take care of the mantle. New guys are coming into the team and it might probably take us some time to be back where we need to be but it’s a work in progress, to be honest.
You reckon playing more and more leagues around the world will only benefit the players?
The league is always beneficial. More cricket is actually better as a cricketer. The most important thing is what you look to take from these leagues. You try not to put too much pressure on yourself when you play international cricket. International cricket is the highest level but again as a player, you need to ensure to not do anything different and try being relaxed and just do what you have been doing in franchise cricket. It’s just a transition.
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Still early days but a lot of interest in the ILT20, especially after IPL teams took a few teams.
It’s going to evolve. I am going to be straightforward, it’s going to evolve because when you look at for example CPL, people questioned and weren’t sure of it reaching where it did today. Owners from IPL also have teams in CPL now. Once these guys get involved, cricket is definitely going to evolve.
And having international regulars will only help advertise the tournament better?
Yes, yes definitely. Once you get senior and international cricketers in a tournament, it is going to give the tournament a push. It’s the first time this tournament is being played and hope it can evolve and go all the way.
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