Full draft list for CPL T20 released

AFTER months of waiting, cricket fans from around the world can finally get a peek at the full list of players who make up the Caribbean Premier League T20 Draft.

The CPL draft is scheduled to take place on June 5 in Jamaica with over 150 players divided up into three pools: Pools ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’. The draft process will be overseen by the members of the CPL Cricket Committee which is chaired by former Jamaican Prime Minister, the Most Honourable PJ Patterson.

From right: Digicel’s Group Marketing Operations Director,
Kieran Foley, addressing those gathered for the CPL press conference
at the Hilton Barbados Resort. Also in the photo is CPL Operations
Manager, Senator Carlisle Powell, and Rhoda Kelly, Event Director.

The details of the draft process were revealed last week Thursday at a press conference at the Needham’s Point Ballroom at the Hilton Barbados Resort. Pools ‘A’ and ‘B’ will comprise of both West Indies players and International players, while Pool ‘C’ will be made up of talented Under-23 players from throughout the region. The full list of players is now available on the CPL website www.cplt20.com.

Newly installed Operations Manager, Senator Carlisle Powell of Nevis, told regional media that each team will have a selection committee consisting of the head coach, assistant coach, the West Indies Franchise player and the Overseas Franchise player.

“Together, these four members of the team selection committee will plan and formalise their strategy and picks for each round going into the official draft. It is up to each selection committee to do their research on players and formalise who they are targeting in the draft,” said Senator Powell.

In Pool ‘A’, there will be a total of 26 players up for selection; 14 will be Elite West Indies players, while the other 12 will be Elite Overseas players. Each of the six selection committees will have four selections from this pool and a maximum of two overseas players may be selected for each squad. Teams are not required to select an overseas player if they prefer only West Indies players, but they are restricted to two Overseas Elite players.

If by the fourth round draft of Pool ‘A’ a team finds itself in a position where the remaining players are only overseas players, and they have their quota already filled, then they may select their fourth round player from Pool ‘B’.

Within Pool ‘B’ there will be a maximum of six overseas players, over one hundred West Indies players and the balance of Pool ‘A’ players who have not been selected. Each selection committee will have five selections from this pool. If a team at this point has one or two International players, only one may be selected. Any remaining players from this pool will drop down into Pool ‘C’.

Pool ‘C’ consists of Under-23 developing talented players from across the region and the balance of Pool ‘B’ players who have not been selected. No overseas players will be up for selection from this pool.

Each selection committee will have four selections from this pool. The first two selections will be done in the same way as Pools ‘A’ and ‘B’ with each team getting a turn based on the order already established. The last two selections will be non-competitive and teams must select Under-23 players from their country only. The only exceptions will be St. Lucia and Antigua which in this case would mean players from the Windward and Leeward Islands respectively. (PG)