A record number of local and international cricketing stars have been officially registered for the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Player Draft which takes place on March 10 in Barbados.
Some 258 players from the Caribbean and most of the leading cricketing nations are seeking to secure a coveted place in the tournament, which is scheduled to take place between 1 August and 9 September.
Director of International Cricket for CPL, Tom Moody was pleased with the positive response from the players.
“T20 is capturing the world of cricket by storm, and with the huge numbers of talented players from across the cricketing world eager to sign up to the biggest party in sport, I’ve no doubt that the 2017 season will be our best yet. “In attracting the cream of international talent from a healthy blend of established and fast-developing nations, it extends the growing international appeal of the sport and of the Hero CPL itself, and I have no doubt that we are going to see a hugely contested Player Draft in Barbados on March 10th,” Moody said.
Former Antigua Hawksbills and St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots all-rounder Marlon Samuels, who was the man of the match for the West Indies in their ICC World T20 final victory over England last year, leads a strong cast of West Indian players in the draft.
There will be 28 players from Australia,, an increase of six from the 2016 campaign. The Aussie list includes Brad Haddin, Ben Hilfenhaus, Brad Hogg, and Adam Zampa who was a star for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the 2016 season.
There are also 17 New Zealanders, including Corey Anderson, Grant Elliott and Jimmy Neesham.
England have four players, while Ireland will have three representatives in the draft.
Pakistan will have the highest representation in the draft after increasing last year’s tally from 38 players to 46. Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s rise in the shortest format of the game sees Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi named in a five-strong contingent who will also be hoping to make their tournament bows.
With the high-profile transfers of Chris Gayle (Jamaica Tallawahs to St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots) and Dwayne Smith (Guyana Amazon Warriors to Barbados Tridents) already confirmed, the list does not include those players who have been retained by their franchises. They, like the marquee players, will be announced at the Player Draft on March 10th.
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