By: Brandon Corlette
Judging from the level of excitement being generated in local circles since the names of those retained and signed early for CPL 2022 were announced, one gets the feeling that the signing of a certain Keemo Mandela Angus Paul to the franchise of the Guyana Amazon Warriors is like the return of the biblical prodigal son to the sanctuary of his father’s home.
Paul, a 24-year-old gifted all-rounder who represented St Lucia Kings in CPL 2021, has said “it is a good feeling to return home,” and he is feeling ecstatic.
“It is a very good feeling; I am a bit ecstatic. I did not play for the Warriors last season, but I have signed back this year, so I am feeling really good. It is really good to be back home, and after seeing the semi-final and final (are) to be played in Guyana, it is also a big motivation, a big booster,” Paul told this publication in an exclusive interview.
Paul, who scored only 84 runs and claimed seven wickets in the last season, is thankful for the experience he gained last season from the Faf du Plesis-led team.
“I must say thanks to St Lucia Kings. Last year it was a pleasure to be around the team, and I got to interact with Faf du Plessis, so I definitely learned a few things from there. The atmosphere was good, the vibes were good. I did not have the kind of tournament that I wanted, but it was really good to be around another franchise and see how they operate,” he said.
Paul has recently been elevated to the Guyana Amazon Warriors vice-captaincy, and is not shying away from leadership in the T20 format. This mature cricketer, who has experience in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Australia’s Big Bash League, the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and the Sri Lankan Premier League, has said he has a lot to offer in the leadership role.
“For me, I always see myself as a leader, I always like to be around the leadership group. I may still be young, but I do not like when people say that I am a youngster or I am a young player. Because I think I played enough cricket to be mature and offer advice. I have gained a lot of experience, and right now I have never felt better in my career. My body is feeling really good, so definitely I see myself as a leader, and I would like more leadership roles; and I think I have much more to offer in that role,” Paul explained.
Paul’s journey has been interrupted by multiple injuries, but the man from Essequibo has said he has fully recovered and is feeling in his best shape ever. Having played in 78 T20s, Paul spoke about the hard yards of work he has done over the years to return to tip-top shape.
“I have had a lot of injuries in the past. I have played a lot of cricket, and one injury came and ‘it’ kept coming. That was a very tough period. I had to buckle down. I got myself a trainer, a nutritionist, and I try to put the hard work in – to get up early in the morning and do the work behind the scenes, and it has been coming along good, and I am feeling really, really good, and I am ready to play cricket at the highest level,” Paul explained.
The Guyana Amazon Warriors have retained Shimron Hetmyer, Odean Smith, Romario Shepherd and Chandrapaul Hemraj. The signings see Paul, who rejoined his home franchise after a spell with the Kings in 2021, and Gudakesh Motie, who was with the franchise last season.
CPL 2022 bowls off on August 30, and the final is to be played in Guyana on September 30.
