National all-rounder Saad Bin Zafar was the lone Canadian participant in the recently completed
2020 Caribbean Premier Leagues. Zafar was a member of the St Lucia Zouks which
had its best ever showing in the Tournament’s now eight year history, advancing to the
final before losing to the eventual Champions the Trinbago Knightriders. Wickets’ Publisher Tony
McWatt engaged Zafar for the following One On One exchange about his CPL 2020 experience.
SBZ: Trinidad’s airport was closed due to
COVID, so all the players were flown to either
Barbados or St. Lucia initially, where
they stayed for about 3 days, and then a
charter plane was arranged to take everyone
to Trinidad. I was in the Barbados
group. On arrival in Barbados, we were all
individually tested for COVID, then immediately
sent straight to the hotel where we
then quarantined in our respective rooms
until we got our results back the next morning.
After 3 days in Barbados we flew to
Trinidad and were transported to our hotel.
Our luggage was fully sanitized and every
TM: Saad, please describe for our Wickets Readers the process you went through in
terms of your flight to and arrival in Trinidad, the accommodation arrangements and
the Tournament Bubble environment.
individual was assigned a room where they had
to quarantine for 12 days. No one was allowed to
leave their respective rooms. During those 12 days,
we were tested twice and our temperature was
recorded daily. Only after all the players and support
staff results came back negative and it was
established that everyone in the hotel was covidfree,
were the players then allowed to go outside
their rooms and mingle with each other. Throughout
the Tournament, we were not allowed to leave
the hotel other than going to the ground for games
and training. Even at the ground, we were not allowed
to be in close proximity to any of the ground
staff.
TM: How did you try to make the most of the situation when you were not selected in the playing XI after
your 2nd match?
SBZ: Throughout the Tournament, our team tried different combinations based on team strength and also considering
the opposition we were playing on a given day. For most of the games in the middle of the Tournament, our team went
in with an extra batsman as we had many all-rounders who could bowl spin and could cover the required four over
quota of a 5th bowler. So the matches that I sat out were not because I was not good enough to play or the result of the
one bad over I’d bowled in my second match! It was because of the team combinations that the coaches and captain
decided to use. Even when I was not playing I made the most of the situation by sitting next to the coaches, having
discussions with them about the game while performing my 12th man duties. That was my way of picking their brains,
observing how they think and read the game from outside while sending constant feedback to the captain on the field.
TM: Did the Coaches provide you with any
advice/suggestions as to how to further improve
your game?
After the end of the Tournament, I sat down with both
Head Coach (Andy Flower) and Assistant Coach (Donovan
TM: After your arrival and accommodation settling in was
there an orientation of sorts for the St Lucia Zouks Squad
members to meet each other and get acquainted?
SBZ: We had a Whatsapp Group where everyone was greeted
and introduced. We did not meet each other until the end of the 12
day mandatory quarantine period. During quarantine, our coach
Andy Flower video called everyone individually and discussed
their roles and plans with them. At the same time, our strength
and conditioning coach Tino Best gave us an exercising routine
which we had to video record and send to him on a daily basis to
make sure we all are staying physically active.
TM When was the Team for each match announced and
how were you informed as to whether you’d be playing or
not? Individually or collectively?
SBZ: We had respective batsmen and bowlers meetings the day
before each of our scheduled matches. During those meetings,
the playing 11 was announced. The individuals who were playing
were usually informed privately and then the full team was
announced during the Pre-Match meeting.
TM: What were the Squad’s Pre-
Tournament practices like?
SBZ: We were scheduled to have 3 training
sessions before our first game but one
was rained out so eventually we only had
2. There was only one University ground
that was arranged for practices for all
the teams with each team being allocated
a limited time slot. We had a match
replication type practice where bowlers
and batsmen were given a scenario and
they had to bowl or bat according to the
challenges they were given. The Coaches
observed the players’ mindsets and approaches
to the scenarios and discussed
different plans with them.
National all-rounder Saad Bin Zafar was the lone Canadian participant in the recently completed
2020 Caribbean Premier Leagues. Zafar was a member of the St Lucia Zouks which
had its best ever showing in the Tournament’s now eight year history, advancing to the
final before losing to the eventual Champions the Trinbago Knightriders. Wickets’ Publisher Tony
McWatt engaged Zafar for the following One On One exchange about his CPL 2020 experience.
SBZ: Trinidad’s airport was closed due to
COVID, so all the players were flown to either
Barbados or St. Lucia initially, where
they stayed for about 3 days, and then a
charter plane was arranged to take everyone
to Trinidad. I was in the Barbados
group. On arrival in Barbados, we were all
individually tested for COVID, then immediately
sent straight to the hotel where we
then quarantined in our respective rooms
until we got our results back the next morning.
After 3 days in Barbados we flew to
Trinidad and were transported to our hotel.
Our luggage was fully sanitized and every
TM: Saad, please describe for our Wickets Readers the process you went through in
terms of your flight to and arrival in Trinidad, the accommodation arrangements and
the Tournament Bubble environment.
individual was assigned a room where they had
to quarantine for 12 days. No one was allowed to
leave their respective rooms. During those 12 days,
we were tested twice and our temperature was
recorded daily. Only after all the players and support
staff results came back negative and it was
established that everyone in the hotel was covidfree,
were the players then allowed to go outside
their rooms and mingle with each other. Throughout
the Tournament, we were not allowed to leave
the hotel other than going to the ground for games
and training. Even at the ground, we were not allowed
to be in close proximity to any of the ground
staffI bowled with the new ball in practices
against a Powerplay field. I also bowled
with a slighly older ball as if I was bowling
in the middle overs and having to defend
8-10 runs per over.
TM: Describe for us your experience of playing 2
matches for the St Lucia Zouks?
SBZ: My Match One experience was great. It was only the 2nd
game of the Tournament for the Zouks and I was given the
opportunity to make my CPL debut for the Franchise. It was
a joyous and proud moment for me but nerve-wracking at
the same time. It was not just about my inclusion in the final
playing XI but also being given the responsibility to bowl in
the Powerplay. The game went well and I bowled 2 overs for
10 runs. Both the coaching staff and Captain applauded my
efforts.
The 2nd match was not the best of the games for me. I bowled
the first over in the Powerplay and was hit for 2 boundaries
and a six by Evin Lewis. Being a left-arm orthodox spinner it
is tough to bowl to a left-hand batsman in a Powerplay, and
even worse to a hard-hitting, internationally experienced
batsman like Evin, but I still could have done better. I was
hoping to come back after the Powerplay and bowl more
overs. Unfortunately for me the St. Kitts team kept sending left
and right-hand batting combinations and I wasMiller) and took their provided feedback from their
respective observations of me as a Player during practices
and from the two matches I actually played. I had
a great chat with both of them and the feedback was
very positive. They not only discussed ways I can further
improve to become a better cricketer, but also suggested
different methods that may work for me to secure
such improvements.
TM: What were your biggest takeaways from your CPL 2020 participation and how do you intend to utilize
the acquired learnings as a National cricketer and to the further benefit of Canadian cricket overall?
SBZ: My biggest CPL 2020 takeaway was the opportunity I got to sit down with some of the best T20 spinners in the world,
like Mitchell Santner, Imran Tahir and Mohammad Nabi, to pick their brains on how they approach different situations
during a game and how they practice and train to prepare themselves to face those match scenarios. I had great
discussions with these players and I intend to incorporate the different methods and approaches they passed on to me
in my training going forward. I also intend to pass along these ideas to my fellow Canadian players when I train with them
next. I also feel very proud of the fact that I was able to impress the coaches and captain in only the two training sessions
we had prior to the start of the Tournament and also to be part of the playing XI in the two of the early round matches.
The positive feedback I received from the coaches is also an encouragement for me to
One On One With Saad Bin Zafar: CPL 2020 A Most Enlightening Experience!
