DAYS AFTER England fined and axed Alex Hales from their World Cup squad because of recreational drug use, the Barbados Tridents have embraced the dashing top-order batsman for this year’s Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
While Hales was a lucrative first pick for the Tridents, earning US$160 000 when the CPL draft was held at the Gfinity eSports Arena in London, yesterday, the dynamic Dwayne Smith wasn’t retained and went unsold.
Astonishingly, England’s Barbadian fast bowling sensation Jofra Archer also went unsold in the auction.
Hales later said he was thrilled to be heading back to an island he described as one of his favourite places to play cricket for his maiden CPL outing.
The Tridents, who will be led by West Indies’ Test and one-day international (ODI) captain Jason Holder as their marquee player, also secured Pakistan left-arm pacer Wahab Riaz and his compatriots Asif Ali and Imad Wasim.
Hard-hitting all-rounder Asif was a round-three pick while wily left-arm spinner Imad was selected in round nine of the draft.
West Indies off-spinner Ashley Nurse, attractive wicket-keeper/batsman Shai Hope and all-rounder Raymon Reifer were also retained, while exciting Nepal leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane was also chosen by the Barbados franchise.
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