The Caribbean Premier League 2021 is set to kick off on 28th August 2021 at Saint Kitts and Nevis Stadiums. Only six teams will play this season, each of the teams representing different cities in the Caribbean. St. Lucia Zouks, as their name suggests, is based in Saint Lucia. They have gone through a couple of name changes since their inception in 2013.
They were Saint Lucia Zouks at the beginning and later in 2017, Saint Lucia Stars. Two years after that, they went back to their first name, the Zouks. Only recently, after the St. Lucia franchise went under new ownership, they changed their name again to St. Lucia Kings. The KPH Dream Cricket Private Limited, which also owns Punjab Kings, are the new owners of St. Lucia Zouks.
This new ownership did not only come with a name change but there was a complete rebranding. A new logo represents the Dream Cricket brand, while the team colors reflect the national colors of St. Lucia. The team’s blue jersey is consistent with the sky and the Caribbean Sea. In addition, the logo with the roaring lion at the center introduces vibrancy.
The franchise hopes that this new name and logo will inspire the players to play with vigor as kings.This new branding is aimed at forging cohesiveness between the two teams owned by KPH Dream Cricket Private Limited. Since IPL’s Punjab Kings have been successful, the St Lucia Zouks owner hopes this will rub off on St. Lucia Zouks now Kings.
After St. Lucia Kings’ runners-up finish in the CPL 2020, there is hope that their performance will be even better this year. Before this, their performance in Tournaments was not anything to brag about. Out of fourteen games in the first two seasons of the CPL, the Zouks only won four.
The players and Squads for CPL 2021
Darren Sammy was the Zouks’ captain through last season in 2020. It was under his captaincy that St. Lucia Zouks came closest to a win since their inception. With Darren Sammy’s retirement, South Africa’s batsman Faf Du Plessis will captain the St Lucia Zouks team. The 36-year-old brings experience and expertise to the team after his successful runs throughout the world.
In addition to their new captain, the Saint Lucia Kings have also brought in other big-shots in the game. The famous Pakistani bowler Wahab Riaz will play for the team this year. They have also drafted Mathew Wade, the excellent wicketkeeper from Australia, to join the St Lucia Zouks players.
Two of the players making their debut in the CPL are Samit Patel and Usman Qadir. The 36-year-old all-rounder Patel is an English cricketer who has it all. He plays as a right-handed batsman and is also a pretty good bowler. Usman Qadir carries his father, Abdul Qadir’s legacy as a legendary spinner.
The 2021 player draft also included Jeavor Royal and Kadeem Alleyne, both from the West Indies. They are joined by Keron Cottoy, a senior batsman from the Caribbean. Keron had played for the franchise before in 2015 when he made his debut for the team. He has had a good run as a middle-order batter which is why he made the cut.
The St. Lucia Kings’ CPL lineup was complete with the addition of Alazarri Joseph, who brings a cool head to the team. This young star is one to look out for as he has already achieved so much at a young age.
Finally, with Andy Flower coaching the team and their former captain Darren Sammy as the assistant coach, the St. Lucia Kings are looking at an exciting season ahead. With strong pacers like Wahab Riaz and Kesrick Williams, the Zouks will not let the opposing team breathe.
St Lucia Zouks Vs. Jamaica Tallawahs
Fans all over the world are waiting at the edge of their seats to watch the Caribbean Premier League. It is arguably the most exciting of the Twenty20 competitions. In 2020, St. Lucia Zouks went against Jamaica Tallawahs in two matches.
The Zouks lost the first match, but in the second one, they won by 11 runs. Out of the 15 matches they played together, St. Lucia Zouks won 6, leaving the other 9 to the Jamaica Tallawahs. Let’s see what the squad has in store for the fans for this CPL 2021 schedule. This year’s CPL championships provide the Zouks another opportunity to beat their nemesis, the Jamaica Tallawahs.
