Sussex Winter Watch: Bopara and Wiese in Pakistan Super League action

Welcome back to another week of Sussex Winter Watch where we take a look at how Sussex players are getting on around the world.
Ravi BoparaRavi Bopara
Ravi Bopara

This week there’s an old face announced to be returning to Hove and Ravi Bopara is in action in the Pakistan Super League playoffs.

Bopara was in action as the Pakistan Super League resumed for his side Multan Sultans in the first qualifier in the finals. Bopara had top-scored for his side with 40 from 31 balls in Multan Sultans’ total of 141/7.

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This below-par total was backed up by their bowlers as they were able to send the game to a Super Over. However, Bopara’s side were unable to hold out and were defeat in the Super Over, meaning that they dropped into the second Eliminator game with a loss in that sending them out.

This week Sussex announced the return of South Africa all-rounder David Wiese as an overseas player for the 2021 T20 Blast. Wiese had previously spent four years at the county, as on overseas in 2016 before after signing a Kolpak deal in January 2017. However, the 26-times capped international had to leave the club after the end of 2020 season due to new a Brexit transition period which states that Kolpak cricketers will no longer be classed as local players according to ECB guidance. After the departures of Harry Finch, Luke Wells, Danny Briggs and Will Sheffield this looked to be leaving Sussex with their fifth departure. However, Wiese has signed a contract which will see him return him to the club as an overseas player for the T20 Blast which means he will stay with the Sharks for the fifth season.

Wiese had also been in action in the Pakistan Super League recently as his side the Lahore Qalandars took on Peshawar Zalmi in the first eliminator in the competition. Wiese had helped his side restrict Peshawar to 170/9, taking figures of 2-40 and was able to help see his side home in the chase with 16 not out as Qalandars won by five wickets to keep them in the competition.

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This win took them through to the second Eliminator game where Wiese’s side faced off against teammate Bopara. Wiese was yet again influential in his side’s performance as he top-score with a staggering 48 not out off 21 balls to help elevate Qalandar’s total to 182/6. Wiese then topped this off with a superb performance with the ball, taking figures of 3-27 from his allocation including the wicket of Bopara for one. In the end, Wiese’s innings and spell was too much for Multan Sultan’s to handle as Qalandars won by 25 runs to stay in the competition.

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