Windies players jet off to lucrative T20 tournament

Six West Indies players were scheduled to leave the Caribbean today to take part in the multi-million dollar Indian Premier League, IPL, in India.



Windies captain Chris Gayle, all-rounders Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard, along with fast bowler Kemar Roach and batsman Adrian Barath, will all head to India to link up with their respective IPL franchises for the tournament, which bowled off last week.



The six players will arrive late for the premier Twenty/Twenty tournament after helping the Windies beat Zimbabwe 4-1 in the recent five-match One-Day International series.



The big-hitting Gayle will be a huge boost to the Kolkata Knight Riders who have made a flying start to the tournament, winning both their matches to date.



Roach, who signed for a massive US$720,000 will make his debut for Deccan Chargers.



All eyes, however, will be on the 22-year-old Pollard who was snapped up for US$750,000 by the Mumbai Indians.



The right-hander will join countryman Bravo in a side that also includes Indian batting genius Sachin Tendulkar.



Teenager Barath will join Roach and Pollard in making his debut and will turn out for Kings Punjab Eleven who have lost both their games to date.



Batsman Dwayne Smith, discarded after the second One Day International against Zimbabwe, will play alongside Roach for Deccan Chargers.



Following the IPL, the Windies players will return to the Caribbean for the World Twenty/Twenty Championship, which bowls off April 30.