Find out dates, matches, format, rules, top players, teams, TV and streaming information and much more before the return of CPL
What is it?
The Caribbean Premier League is a domestic six-team T20 competition organized across the Caribbean. It has been operating since 2013.
When is it?
The tournament is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, August 31 with last year’s champions St Kitts & Nevis Patriots taking on the Jamaica Tallawahs. The competition will last slightly longer than last year, with the final being played a month later on Friday, September 30.
6ixty, a brand new T10 competition organized by Cricket West Indies, will precede the CPL season, which is expected to run from Wednesday, August 24 to Sunday, August 28.
What is the format?
Following the same trend as some exclusive competitions, the six teams will play each other twice in the group stage, where teams will be awarded two points for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. The top four teams will qualify for the playoffs.
In a slight change to last year’s knockout stage, Qualifier 1 will see the top two teams play each other, while the third and fourth placed teams will battle it out in an Eliminator. The winner of Qualifier 1 will advance directly to the finals, with the loser meeting the winner of the Eliminator in Qualifier 2. The winner of Qualifier 2 will meet the winner of Qualifier 1 in the finals to determine the winners.
Kieron Pollard is a CPL legend [Getty Images/CPL]
Where is?
CPL 2022 will be held in four countries. Warner Park in St Kitts and Nevis will host the opening seven matches of the tournament. The competition will then shift to St Lucia where the next eight matches will be played at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground. Matches 16 to 23 will be played at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad, before the final seven group and play-off matches are hosted in Guyana at the Providence Stadium.
Which teams are involved?
There are six teams competing in the CPL 2022. They are founding members Barbados Royals (formerly Barbados Tridents), Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Tallawahs, St Lucia Kings (formerly St Lucia Zouks), Trinbago Knight Riders and the joined St Kitts & Nevis Patriots competition in 2015.
Trinbago Knight Riders is the most successful team in the CPL, lifting the trophy four times, in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2020. Inaugural champions Jamaica Tallawahs (2013, 2016) and Barbados Royals (2014, 2019) have two titles each.
The Guyana Amazon Warriors have been very unlucky throughout the history of the CPL as despite reaching the final on five occasions, they have never walked away with the trophy.
The St Kitts & Nevis Patriots are the defending champions, having beaten the St Lucia Kings in last year’s final. Both teams have appeared in the finals only twice.
What happened last year?
The 2021 Caribbean Premier League saw a very tight group stage, with the top three teams recording six wins and four losses to leave them level on 12 points. Trinbago Knight Riders topped the group having the highest net run rate followed by Guyana Amazon Warriors and then St Kitts & Nevis Patriots. St Lucia Kings took the last qualifying spot with 10 points. Jamaica Tallawahs dropped just two points, with Barbados Royals finishing last having only managed to win three of their 10 matches.
The Kings surprised everyone by beating favorites Trinbago Knight Riders by 21 runs to set up a finals clash with the Patriots. The Patriots had impressively scored 179 with 13 balls to spare against the Guyana Amazon Warriors.
St Kitts & Nevis Patriots triumphed in a thrilling final as they won the last ball. Dominic Drakes was instrumental in the Patriots win as he made an unbeaten 48 runs from 24 balls.
Roston Chase was the top scorer of the tournament for the runners-up Kings, he made 446 runs at an average of 49.55. Ravi Rampaul for Trinbago Knight Riders took 19 scalps in the entire competition at an average of 16.21, finishing as the leading wicket-taker.
Who are the overseas players?
South Africa dominate the overseas signings, with fan favorites Imran Tahir (Guyana) and Faf du Plessis (St Lucia) returning to the competition. Tabraiz Shamsi will join Tahir at the Warriors to form an exciting duo, with David Miller and Quinton de Kock signing for the Barbados Royals.
Other notable overseas players include the New Zealand trio of Colin Munro, Tim Seifert (both Trinbago) and David Wiese (St Lucia); prolific Pakistani bowler Mohammed Amir (Jamaica); and up-and-coming Singaporean talent Tim David, who will feature for St Lucia.
Overall, there will be up to 30 overseas signings. The players are made up of 11 South Africans, three each for Pakistan, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, two each for Afghanistan and Ireland and then one each for Nepal, Australia, Singapore, Namibia and the USA. There will be no English players competing in this year’s tournament.
Rovman Powell will be crucial for Jamaica Tallawahs [Getty Images/CPL]
Who are the players to watch?
Jamaica Tallawahs – Rovman Powell
A middle-order bowler who occasionally bowls at medium pace, Powell is known for his big hitting. He has been a consistent performer domestically when playing for Jamaica, averaging 30.28 in the List. He has been in and out of the West Indies team but featured in their last three T20 matches against India. If he gets time at the crease, he can be an extremely destructive player.
Barbados Royals – Quinton de Kock
Making his CPL debut, South Africa’s wicketkeeper batsmen are sure to set this tournament on fire. Despite three consecutive low scores against England in the T20 series, his average in the format stands at a respectable 31.86, with five centuries. Royals will be hoping that De Kock provides them with a dynamic edge.
Guyana Amazon Warriors – Imran Tahir
Tahiri is one of the greatest entertainers. With his unique bowling action and animated party, Tahiri is a fan favorite and a fierce and respected competitor. He secured a moment of history last year as he became the first bowler to take a hat-trick in the inaugural edition of The Hundred. He has been at his best in recent years. This will be his third consecutive CPL with the Guyana Amazon Warriors. Watch out for his ‘marathon’ party.
St Kitts & Nevis Patriots – Dominic Drakes
Adjudged man of the match in last year’s final, Dominic Drakes brought the trophy home with a magnificent 48 not out from 24 balls. Moving from the Barbados Royals in 2019, Drakes has been a key component for the Patriots, both with his bowling and his batting.
St Lucia Kings – Roston Chase
A player who was once a key player in the West Indies Test team, Chase has turned into a great all-rounder for the shorter format of the game. Top run-scorer in last year’s CPL with 446 runs, Chase propelled his side to the final and despite their painful defeat, the Barbadian player was adjudged the player of the tournament. Fans will be hoping that he can replicate this form once again, in the hope that the Kings can go one step further and win their first ever title.
Trinbago Knight Riders – Kieron Pollard
Kieron Pollard is a CPL legend. He led the Royals to the title in 2014 and then captained the Knight Riders to their fourth trophy in 2020. He has a T20 average of 31.2 with a top score of 104, and an ability to hit balls in all overs. Knight Riders will have a very good chance to win five CPL titles if their captain has a good tournament.
Imran Tahir is founded in Guyana Amazon Warriors [Getty Images/CPL]
Where can I watch it?
UK fans will be able to watch every match live on BT Sport as part of their multi-year deal with the broadcaster.
Elsewhere in the world, the following broadcasters will have CPL rights:
USA: Willow TV
Australia: Fox Sports
New Zealand: Sky Sports NZ
South Africa: SuperSport
India: FanCode
Pan-Caribbean: SportsMax TV
Canada: Willow TV
Trinidad and Tobago: CNC 3
Guyana: E-Networks
Dominican Republic: CDN SportsMax Espanol
Grenada: SportsMax
Barbados: TV8
Saint Lucia: HTS
Antigua and Barbuda: CNS
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: GBN
Bangladesh: My Sports
United Arab Emirates: Etisalat
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