CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC):
FOUR-TIME CHAMPIONS Trinbago Knight Riders have retained 12 players from their squad last year, and expansion side, Antigua and Barbuda Falcons have confirmed the same number for this year’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Twenty20 tournament from August 29 to October 6.
Tournament organisers announced yesterday that the Knight Riders have confirmed the players they have retained and signed ahead of the player draft include West Indies retirees Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, and Dwayne Bravo.
In all, the Knight Riders have confirmed 15 players and will fill their two emerging player spots in the player draft in July.
12 players confirmed
The principals of the Falcons, practically the same for the decommissioned Jamaica Tallawahs, have kept faith with nine of the players from that outfit last season, including Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir, two members of the under-fire Pakistan squad playing in the current ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
In all, the Falcons have confirmed 12 players for the coming season and will have five spots to fill during the player draft.
The Knight Riders have three newcomers in their franchise – batsman Tim David, a member of the Australia team at the T20 World Cup, left-arm pacer Josh Little, a member of the Ireland team at the T20 World Cup, and Jason Roy, an opener many reckon unfortunate not to be part of the England T20 World Cup squad.
TKR have also retained the core of Caribbean players that took them to the final against champions Guyana Amazon Warriors last year, led by the West Indies T20 World Cup trio of left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman Nicholas Pooran, all-rounder Andre Russell, a member of the Kolkata Knight Riders outfit that won the Indian Premier League this year, and left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein.
Pakistan left-hander Fakhar Zaman will boost the batting of the Falcons, whose lineup also includes Afghan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai, and Leeward Islands Hurricanes and West Indies Under-19 wicketkeeper-batsman Jewel Andrew.
West Indies T20 World Cup batsman Brandon King, and reserves Fabian Allen and Hayden Walsh Jr are among the Caribbean brigade retained from the Tallawahs from last season, along with Australian Chris Green.