NEW DELHI: Saint Lucia Kings captain Faf du Plessis drew comparisons with Rohit Sharma as he made headlines for more than just his leadership during the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2024 final.
After guiding the Saint Lucia Kings (SLK) to their maiden title with a six-wicket victory over the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW), du Plessis celebrated in a manner that immediately went viral.
His celebratory strut was a striking recreation of Indian captain Rohit Sharma’s iconic walk from India’s T20 World Cup triumph earlier in the year.
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The celebration struck a chord because Rohit’s confident, slow walk, marked by a proud smile and folded arms, had become a symbolic image during India’s victorious T20 World Cup campaign.
By mimicking it, du Plessis paid a subtle tribute to one of cricket’s modern greats while also making the celebration his own after a memorable win.
Saint Lucia Kings’ path to the title had been a long time coming. Under the guidance of former T20 World Cup-winning captain Daren Sammy, the Kings had evolved from being perennial underdogs to genuine contenders.
Their perseverance was finally rewarded with a resounding victory over GAW in the final on Monday.
While SLK’s bowling unit set the tone, with young Afghan spinner Noor Ahmed taking 3 wickets for just 19 runs, the team found themselves in trouble at 51 for 4 during their chase of 139. However, Roston Chase (39 off 22) and Aaron Jones (48 off 31) staged a remarkable counterattack, leading SLK to the title with 11 balls to spare.
Faf du Plessis, reflecting on the win, noted, “I am extremely proud of the team for showing grit throughout the tournament and getting the job done. There was excitement at the start of the competition in St Lucia about this gonna be the season. First CPL trophy and it is a great achievement.”
