Caribbean Premier League prepares for US debut

This year's Twenty20 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will break new ground by staging matches in the United States for the first time, with several fixtures in Florida in July.

The games, starting with the night match between Guyana Amazon Warriors and the Barbados Tridents on Friday, July 28, will all take place at the Lauderhill Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

All six teams in the franchise competition will be on show at the 10,000 capacity stadium across four days of action from July 28-31.

As well as the likes of former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, Australia's Shane Watson and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, all of whom have recently retired from international cricket, the competition will also feature South Africa's AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis.

Meanwhile there will be plenty of native Caribbean talent on show as well, including Darren Sammy - the captain of the West Indies side that won Sunday's World Twenty20 final against England in Kolkata and big-hitting team-mate Chris Gayle.

CPL chief executive Damien O'Donohoe, in a statement issued by the tournament's Dublin-based spokesman, said: “We are delighted to announce fixture information of the ground-breaking Florida leg of CPL which represents an exciting new chapter for the tournament.

“Supporters will have the opportunity to see all six teams in action twice over four action-packed days which will showcase some of the best West Indies and international talent on display.”

The statement was issued before the men's World Twenty20 final on a Sunday when the West Indies beat Australia in the equivalent women's match in Kolkata.

O'Donohoe added: “West Indies cricket is on a real high at the moment, with the success of the men's, women's and Under-19 World Cup winning squads generating a feel-good factor locally and internationally, and plans are well underway to deliver a top-class leg in the USA.”

CPL Player Draft 2016:

Barbados Tridents: Kieron Pollard, AB de Villiers, Shoaib Malik, Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Rampaul, David Wiese, Robin Peterson, Raymon Reifer, Ashley Nurse, Wayne Parnell, Akeal Hosein, Imran Khan, Kyle Hope, Navin Stewart, Kyle Corbin, Steven Taylor

Guyana Amazon Warriors: Sohail Tanvir, Martin Guptill, Dwayne Smith, Chris Lynn, Rayad Emrit, Adam Zampa, Jason Mohammed, Christopher Barnwell, Veerasammy Permaul, Orlando Peters, Assad Fudadin, Anthony Bramble, Paul Wintz, Steven Jacobs, Steven Katwaroo, Ali Khan

Jamaica Tallawahs: Chris Gayle, Kumar Sangakkara, Shakib Al Hasan, Andre Russell, Imad Wasim, Lasith Malinga, Rovman Powell, Chadwick Walton, Jon-Russ Jaggesar, Andre McCarthy, Jonathan Foo, Alex Ross, Kesrick Williams, Nkrumah Bonner, Garey Mathurin, Timroy Allen

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots: Lendl Simmons, Faf du Plessis, Samuel Badree, Brad Hodge, Thisara Perera, Jonathan Carter, Krishmar Santokie, Evin Lewis, Tabraiz Shamsi, Kieran Powell, JJ Smuts, Devon Thomas, Shamarh Brooks, Tino Best, Jeremiah Louis, Nikhil Dutta

Trinbago Knight Riders: Dwayne Bravo, Brendon McCullum, Sunil Narine, Hashim Amla, Umar Akmal, Kevon Cooper, Sulieman Benn, Colin Munro, Anton Devcich, Ronsford Beaton, Nikita Miller, Javon Searles, William Perkins, Yannick Cariah, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Hamza Tariq

Zouks: David Miller, Shane Watson, Darren Sammy, Michael Hussey, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Morne Morkel, Fidel Edwards, Derone Davis, Eddie Leie, Keron Cottoy, Shane Shillingford, Delorn Johnson, Kyle Mayers, Keddy Lesporis, Nitish Kumar

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