The rosters for the upcoming edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) were confirmed on Wednesday, June 18, following the player draft, with all six teams completing their squads of 17 players, except the Barbados Royals, who were happy with the 15 members in the side they had. Imran Tahir, the 46-year-old youngster, who led the Guyana Amazon Warriors to their maiden CPL title in 2023, has penned down to play one more season.
Australian hard-hitter Tim David, who represented the Trinbago Knight Riders last year, will return to the CPL for the Saint Lucia Kings after representing the defending champions in 2021 and 2022. David is on a title-winning spree with the Hobart Hurricanes and recently the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL. Maybe he could be the lucky charm as the Kings attempt to defend their title after parting ways with Faf du Plessis. The Kings also drafted veteran South African spinner Tabraiz Shamsi for the new season.
The Kings will be among at least two teams looking for a new captain, alongside the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons. The Falcons also parted ways with their former captain Chris Green in their maiden season and have signed Allah Ghazanfar, Naveen ul Haq and the returning Shakib Al Hasan as part of the overseas roster for their second season.
Alex Hales and Mohammad Amir (Trinbago Knight Riders), Quinton de Kock and Mujeeb ur Rahman (Barbados Royals), Rilee Rossouw and Waqar Salamkheil (St Kitts and Nevis Patriots) and Glenn Phillips and Moeen Ali (Guyana Amazon Warriors) were the other draft picks amongst overseas roster for CPL 2025.
Among the domestic players, there were a few major transfers and trades, particularly involving the Royals. The Royals traded in Sherfane Rutherford from the Patriots for all-rounder Jason Holder, who might be one of the captaincy candidates for the 2021 champions. Alick Athanaze was also part of the transfer from the Royals to the Patriots. The Falcons acquired pacer Obed McCoy and Rahkeem Cornwall from the Royals while giving out Brandon King in the barter. Odean Smith was also involved in the same transfer, going over from the Patriots to the Falcons.
The 13th edition of the CPL kicks off in Basseterre in St Kitts and Nevis with the hosts Patriots taking on the Falcons in the opener on August 14. The defending champions Saint Lucia Kings will be in action in back-to-back games against the Falcons and the Patriots in Antigua and St Kitts on August 17 and 19. The final is scheduled to take place in Guyana on September 21.
Squads
Antigua and Barbuda Falcons
Rahkeem Cornwall, Shakib Al Hasan, Imad Wasim, Jayden Seales, Justin Greaves, Odean Smith, Jewel Andrew, Naveen ul Haq, Obed McCoy, Fabian Allen, Bevon Jacobs, AM Ghazanfar, Shamar Springer, Amir Jangoo, Karima Gore, Kevin Wickham, Joshua James
Barbados Royals
Brandon King, Quinton de Kock, Sherfane Rutherford, Rovman Powell, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Azmaullah Omarzai, Jomel Warrican, Kadeem Alleyne, Shaqkere Paris, Kofi James, Nyeem Young, Rivaldo Clarke, Zishan Motara, Johann Layne, Ramon Simmonds
Guyana Amazon Warriors
Imran Tahir, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer, Romario Shepherd, Glenn Phillips, Moeen Ali, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph, Keemo Paul, Dwaine Pretorius, Shamarh Brooks, Kemol Savory, Hassan Khan, Jediah Blades, Kevlon Anderson, Quentin Sampson, Riyad Latif
Saint Lucia Kings
Tim David, Roston Chase, Tim Seifert, Johnson Charles, Alzarri Joseph, Tabraiz Shamsi, David Wiese, Delano Potgieter, Matthew Forde, Aaron Jones, Khary Pierre, Javelle Glen, Micah McKenzie, Shadrack Descarte, Johann Jeremiah, Keon Gaston, Ackeem Auguste
Trinbago Knight Riders
Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Nicholas Pooran, Sunil Narine, Akeal Hosein, Mohammad Amir, Alex Hales, Colin Munro, Usman Tariq, Ali Khan, Darren Bravo, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Terrance Hinds, Nathan Edward, Joshua Da Silva, McKenny Clarke
St Kitts and Nevis Patriots
Kyle Mayers, Jason Holder, Andre Fletcher, Rilee Rossouw, Evin Lewis, Alick Athanaze, Corbin Bosch, Mohammad Nawaz, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mickyle Louis, Jeremiah Louis, Jyd Goolie, Waqar Salamkheil, Dominic Drakes, Ashmead Nedd, Navin Bidaisee, Leniko Boucher