Smit Patel set to join Barbados Tridents for CPL 2021

Wicketkeeper Smit Patel, who won the Under-19 World Cup in 2012 has been signed up by Barbados Tridents for the upcoming season of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).  

If he makes it to the XI, he will be the second Indian player after Pravin Tambe to play in the CPL. The leg-spinner played three matches for Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) last season in which he picked up three wickets at an economy rate of four.

Patel's inclusion in the Tridents team could mean that his career with Indian cricket has come to an end. The right-handed batsman has represented Gujarat, Tripura and Baroda in domestic cricket. Most recently, he played the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final for Baroda against Tamil Nadu.

Smit has already played a few matches in the Major Cricket League in the United States and his recent move points to the fact that he has perhaps moved to the country.  Smit will play alongside Chris Morris, Jason Holder, Thisara Perera,  Mohammad Amir, Shai Hope among other international stars in the CPL.

In the U-19 World Cup led by Unmukt Chand, Patel was the second-highest run-scorer for India, notching up 178 runs at 59.33, which includes an unbeaten 62 in the final against Australia.