DA SILVA READY TO USE BREAKOUT AS SPRINGBOARD TO T20 SUCCESS
Earmarked as a strategic plan to unearth, develop and integrate young and emerging players, The inaugural season of the West Indies Breakout League is set to bowl off in Trinidad & Tobago with the most exciting and promising young players across the region from 25 April- 10 May.
With 15 players excited and upbeat to represent the hosts, Trinidad & Tobago Legions captain Joshua da Silva is ready to use the first year of the West Indies Breakout league as more than just profiling but as a stepping stone to garner more experience in the game’s shortest format.
“I've played 22 games, and I just haven't gotten as much opportunity [in T20s]. This tournament should get more opportunity for me and a lot of other players as well. I think it's a great initiative and hopefully it’s going to be the start of something that can be happen every year. There's opportunity for boys to put their hands up.”
As one of the more experienced players in the Trinidad & Tobago Legions squad, he says the key for each player taking part is to enjoy their cricket.
“You never know who's watching. So, each opportunity you get to walk out onto the middle is something worth its weight in gold. So, take it as much as you can. Do the best that you can. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. And most importantly, have fun, because at the end of the day, it's a new tournament.” Da Silva shared. “We don't know what we're going to expect. We don't go in with any expectations, just perform to the best of your ability and let the bat and ball do the talking.”
There are few countries in the world who have produced as many T20 superstars as Trinidad, and that pedigree is something that Da Silva says he and the rest of the team are very proud of.
“We pride ourselves on the legacy that we have in T20 cricket, that's for sure. For us, it's an honour to represent the country at any level. It just means that you're the best and chosen and selected to play in that specific tournament. And hopefully we can live up to your legacy. I think it's important.”
The professional cricket landscape has seen changes across the last two decades with T20 cricket one of the drivers of change. Da Silva who has so far played 33 tests is happy for the Breakout league and the avenue it creates for more of the Caribbean players.
“We see the earnings that you can get in franchise leagues including the CPL and those other leagues around the world. We know that it's very attractive if you want to live a high lifestyle. Personally, for me in this tournament, I just want to use it as an opportunity to get more chances in the region as well as the CPL.”
Da Silva hinted that with the mantra of the Breakout league to find and develop emerging players, the Caribbean people will be eager to see the players.
“It’s a tournament where I know a lot of eyes are going to be on us and performance is going to be key.” Da Silva expressed. “We can use that to get bigger contracts, or you can get a contract if you haven't had one before and just showcase your talent.”
The intensity of T20 cricket requires high boundary scoring but Da Silva is willing to lean on his core batting skills to incorporate a mixture of aggression and finesse.
“I still believe that the fundamentals of cricket are very important and help you in the T20 format. We see a lot more kids wanting to play T20 cricket rather than the four-day stuff. But it still doesn't take away the importance of the fundamentals and how important red ball cricket is as well.” He explained.
“We've seen the greatest T20 players have been legends of the red ball game as well. So, it all leads hand in hand by sticking to the basics to play and to be successful in T20 cricket. We can't just come out and swipe and score every five, six innings. It's not going to be worth it. And you're not going to make the big bucks.”
ABOUT THE WEST INDIES BREAKOUT LEAGUE
The West Indies Breakout League is a premier T20 cricket tournament designed to spotlight emerging talent from across the Caribbean. The league will feature teams representing the six territorial boards that comprise Cricket West Indies: Barbados Pelicans, Guyana Rainforest Rangers, Jamaica Titans, Leeward Islands Thunder, Trinidad & Tobago Legions and the Windward Islands Infernos.
Players eligible to participate must be under 30 years old or at the start of the tournament, have played fewer than 40 List A T20 matches and fewer than 10 international T20s, ensuring a focus on developing new talent. Each team is closely affiliated with a Caribbean Premier League (CPL) franchise, providing players with an opportunity to showcase their skills on a larger stage and progress their cricketing careers.
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