Evin Lewis

Evin Earl Lewis, born on 27 December 1991, is a Trinidadian cricketer known for his left-handed batting prowess as an opening batsman for the West Indies. While he primarily features in limited-overs internationals, Lewis has made a significant impact in the T20 format, earning accolades and setting records.

One of his notable achievements is being the third batsman, after Brendon McCullum and Chris Gayle, to score two centuries in Twenty20 International cricket, showcasing his ability to excel in the shortest format of the game. Lewis also holds the records for the highest retired hurt score in international cricket, with an unbeaten 176, and the highest score by a West Indian in T20 internationals, with an unbeaten 125.

Lewis played a crucial role in the West Indies’ victory at the 2016 T20 World Cup, contributing to their success on the global stage. His performances have not been limited to international cricket; he has also made significant contributions in various T20 leagues around the world.

In the 2019 Bangladesh Premier League, Lewis was part of the winning team, the Comilla Victorians, showcasing his skills in the franchise-based T20 tournament. He continued his success in the Caribbean Premier League, winning the 2021 title with the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots.

Lewis has been a key player for several teams in T20 leagues, including the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel and IPL franchises Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals. His consistent performances and ability to deliver in high-pressure situations have made him a valuable asset in the T20 format.

Franchise Cricket and T20 Cricket

Evin Earl Lewis made his first-class debut for Trinidad and Tobago in March 2012, in the 2011–12 Regional Four Day Competition. He later represented the team in the 2012 Champions League Twenty20, playing a single match against Sri Lankan team Uva Next.

At the 2013 Champions League Twenty20 in India, Lewis emerged as his team’s leading run-scorer and the fifth overall, scoring 211 runs from five innings. His standout performances included a quickfire 70 off 35 balls against the Titans and a solid 62 off 46 balls in the semi-final against the Mumbai Indians.

For the 2014 Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Lewis signed with the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel franchise, where he scored 321 runs from eight innings, finishing as the team’s highest run-scorer and seventh overall. He then joined the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots for the 2015 edition, scoring the third-most runs for his team.

In 2015, Lewis signed with the Barisal Bulls franchise for the inaugural season of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and scored 101 not out from 65 balls in a match against the Dhaka Dynamites, the tournament’s only century at the time. He later represented Dhaka Dynamites in the 2016 edition, scoring another century.

During the 2017 CPL, Lewis opened the batting with Chris Gayle for the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots. He was also selected to play for the Vancouver Knights in the inaugural 2018 Global T20 Canada tournament.

Lewis was named in the squad for the Comilla Victorians team for the 2018–19 BPL, where they went on to win the title. In the 2019 CPL, Lewis was fined for an incident in a match between the Trinbago Knight Riders and St Kitts & Nevis Patriots.

He was released by the Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2020 IPL auction and later named in the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots squad for the 2020 CPL. In 2021, he signed with the Rajasthan Royals for the second half of the IPL season and scored a century in the 2021 CPL to help the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots reach the semi-finals and eventually win their first CPL title.

In the 2022 IPL auction, Lewis was bought by the Lucknow Super Giants. He played a quickfire knock of 55* off 23 balls against the Chennai Super Kings, leading Lucknow Super Giants to their first-ever win in the IPL. He was later signed by the Jaffna Kings for the third edition of the Lanka Premier League in July 2022.

Career Statistics

International Cricket

Evin Lewis has had a remarkable international cricket career, making significant contributions across formats for the West Indies. Here are some key highlights of his international journey:

– In March 2016, Lewis was added to the West Indies squad for the 2016 ICC World Twenty20, replacing the injured Lendl Simmons. He made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut on 27 March 2016 against Afghanistan at Nagpur.

– On 27 August 2016, in only his second T20I, Lewis scored his debut T20I century against India, achieving the milestone off just 48 deliveries. This innings is notable for being the second-fastest T20I century by a West Indian and the sixth fastest overall. His innings included hitting five sixes in an over bowled by Stuart Binny, contributing to a record-breaking total of 245 runs for the West Indies. Lewis was awarded the man of the match for his exceptional performance.

– Lewis made his One Day International (ODI) debut for the West Indies against Pakistan on 5 October 2016. In November 2016, he scored his maiden ODI century of 148 against Sri Lanka in the 2016–17 Zimbabwe Tri-Series, showcasing his prowess with the bat despite the team’s narrow defeat.

– He achieved his second T20I century on 9 July 2017 against India at Sabina Park, smashing an impressive 125*, which remains the highest score in a T20I chase. This inning also made him the third batsman to score two international T20 tons, following in the footsteps of Brendon McCullum and Chris Gayle. Lewis’ knock is also the highest T20I score by a West Indian batsman.

– On 27 September 2017, Lewis notched 176 not out in the 4th ODI against England at The Oval. This innings is remarkable as it is the highest score by any batsman who opted to retire hurt in international cricket. Despite his outstanding performance, the West Indies lost the match, but Lewis was awarded the man of the match for his stellar contribution.

– In February 2018, the International Cricket Council (ICC) named Lewis as one of the ten players to watch ahead of the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament. In June 2018, he was named the T20 International Cricketer of the Year at the annual Cricket West Indies’ Awards.

– Lewis was also part of the West Indies‘ squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. In June 2021, during the series against South Africa, he scored his 1,000th run in T20I cricket. In September 2021, Lewis was named in the West Indies’ squad for the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, continuing to be a key player for the team in the shortest format of the game.