Cricket with Dalchand Bissoon

The Caribbean Premier Cricket League T20 Tournament is set to start on Saturday, June 20, in Barbados.

In the opening match, Barbados Tridents will play Guyana Amazon Warriors at Kensington Oval.

The six teams in the tournament are Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, St. Lucia Zouks, Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel, Jamaica Tallawahs and St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots.

Several overseas international players are expected to participate in the tournament, which runs until July 21. The first semi-final (3rd vs 4th) will be played July 23 at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad. The second semi-final (2nd vs SF1) will be July 25 at the same venue with the Grand Final on July 26 also at that venue.

Shahid Afridi, the former Pakistan allrounder and captain, is the highest-profile overseas player picked by the league’s new franchise from St. Kitts and Nevis. Also in their squad are New Zealand opening batsman Martin Guptill and Pakistan fast bowler Sohail Tanvil.

Jacques Kallis, the former South African allrounder, will play for Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel along with his former teammate Johan Botha and former Pakistan wicketkeeper / batsman Kamran Akmal.

Kevin Peterson, he former England captain, will join St. Lucia Zouks along with New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor.

Mahela Jayawardene, the former Sri Lanka captain, and former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori and South African Rusty Theron will join Jamaica Tallawahs.

Tlllakaratne Dilshan, Lasith Malinger and Thisara Perera from Sri Lanka will join Guyana Warriors. Also in the lineup is Sunil Narine, Shivnarine  Chanderpaul and 40-year-old former Australian batsman Brad Hodge.

Pakistan allrounder Shoaib Malik will be joined by Sri Lankan batsman Dilshan Munaweera and former South African bowler Robin Peterson for Barbados Tridents.