Sohail Tanvir has always remained a popular choice for teams playing in Twenty20 tournaments around the world and it, therefore, comes as no surprise that he will soon be representing the newly formed St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots team in the 2015 edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). The Pakistan all-rounder has already distinguished himself on the international stage with 36 wickets in 43 T20I games and is hoping to repeat his last year's CPL performance where he was the top batsman (189 runs) and top bowler (7 wickets) for the St Lucia Zouks.

In an exclusive interview with PakPassion.net, 30 year old Tanvir spoke about his delight at participating in the CPL and in particular, playing alongside big names such as Shahid Afridi and Martin Guptill, and also explained why he feels that the CPL is unique and one of the top T20 tournaments.

By Saj Sadiq (4th June, 2015)

PakPassion.net : You must be really looking forward to this year's Caribbean Premier League tournament after a successful tournament last time around?

Sohail Tanvir : Yes definitely. It's a lovely part of the world to play cricket in. The quality of cricket at the Caribbean Premier League is good and the tournament is a very enjoyable one to be part of. I'm really looking forward to it and I'm happy to have been picked by one of the franchises again.


PakPassion.net : You've been signed by a new franchise, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, that in itself must be quite exciting and at the same time challenging?

Sohail Tanvir : Yes it's an exciting opportunity in that I will be part of the launch of a new team and can help with its gelling together and establishing itself. However we will have our work cut out as we will be playing against franchises that are already established and it's likely that it will take us a bit of time to establish ourselves. It's a big challenge, we will have to be patient as it can take a bit of time for a new team to find its feet. But at the same these are exciting times as we all want to show the watching world what we can do at St. Kitts and Nevis and we want to make an impact in our debut season.


PakPassion.net : What can be the realistic aims of St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots in its debut season in the Caribbean Premier League?

Sohail Tanvir : The aim of every franchise at the CPL is obviously to win the tournament and we are no different. We need to focus on playing a high level of cricket throughout the tournament and aim to be consistent. I think if we focus too much on results then that could have a negative impact, so we should go out there give 100% effort and not worry too much about the outcome of the match and build pressure on ourselves. Let's go out there, play to our strengths and individually and collectively give our all and I'm sure the results will follow.


PakPassion.net : Martin Guptill, Shahid Afridi and yourself are the experienced overseas signings made by St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots. How important is it for you three to perform and lead from the front?


Sohail Tanvir : Well I've played a lot of cricket with Shahid Afridi and we know what he is capable of. Martin (Guptill) has been in excellent form for New Zealand of late and I'm sure he will be keen to carry that form into the CPL. Looking at the group of players it looks like a good bunch and a group that I think can perform well. Yes it's important for the experienced players to lead from the front and to set the example and I think Shahid, Martin and I can do that and hopefully the younger guys can also chip in with some good performances. Experience is vital in any format of the game and I think when a team has the right blend of youth and experience it can be successful.


PakPassion.net : In last year's CPL you were top of the batting and bowling averages for St. Lucia Zouks. You'll be hoping no doubt to replicate that form in this year's competition?

Sohail Tanvir : Definitely. I'll be hoping to continue in the same way as I did in the 2014 edition of the CPL, but you have to be wary of expectations. I think expectations this time around will be even higher and I'll have to perform even better to reach those levels of expectation. But I'm ready and I feel I can match last year's performances. I'm confident and I think I can, together with my team, have a successful tournament.


PakPassion.net : The CPL looks like a tournament you enjoying playing in?

Sohail Tanvir : Yes if you are performing well then you enjoy taking part in a tournament and you enjoy your individual success and also your team's success. It's a platform for players to show their skill levels to the rest of the world and thankfully I've performed quite well in this competition previously. I think cricketers enjoy playing in Twenty20 tournaments around the world as it's an exciting format and brand of cricket. It's also a format that crowds and players alike have really taken to. The CPL is an exciting tournament, it's vibrant and at the same time it's fun and unique.


PakPassion.net : What makes the CPL different from other Twenty20 leagues around the world?

Sohail Tanvir : The atmosphere is unique. It's almost as if every match is one big party with the crowds singing and dancing from the start to the end of each match. The crowd are enjoying themselves and everyone is adding to the unique atmosphere. Last year we were struggling at St. Lucia and when we finally won a match some of the players including Darren Sammy went into the crowd after the match and started to dance with the crowd and started to enjoy a few drinks with them. You just don't see that anywhere else in the world. CPL is cricket with a smile on its face.


PakPassion.net : You've played cricket around the world now, do you think the more you play, the more familiar and predictable you can become for an opponent?

Sohail Tanvir : The successful players are those who adopt to various conditions around the world and are quick to assess the opposition strengths and weaknesses. But above all you need to know your own game inside out. If you don't know your own strengths and weaknesses then you are going to struggle. I try to do my homework on the opposition, research conditions and also try to just play to my strengths. Having said that though, you have to be adaptable and be able to surprise the opposition with innovation and something they didn't expect. I am always looking to make some subtle changes to what I do on the field, as when you become predictable then that just plays into the opposition's hands.

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