The Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will be making a US$50,000 contribution to support tertiary level students who have had their last year of education significantly disrupted, following the horrendous impact of Hurricane Beryl in July 2024. Th disaster has had a massive impact on the lives of all residents in the northern parts of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique and has left students needing considerable support to complete their education.

The CPL’s donation will support students with accommodation, meals, transportation and school supplies while they continue their studies at T.A. Marryshow Community College. In addition, the CPL will be making a commitment to bring a number of these students to the CPL in 2025 to work as interns at the event to further help with their professional development as they consider their future career options.

Pete Russell, CPL’s CEO, said: “Everyone at CPL has been touched by the impact that Beryl has had across the region, and we are pleased that we are able to play our part by supporting these students as they complete their studies and look to a bright future ahead. Supporting the youth of the Caribbean is hugely important to us and we look forward to hearing of the progress of these students and welcoming them to the tournament next year where we are certain they will find working with the CPL team a hugely rewarding experience.”

Prime Minister of Grenada, the Honourable Dickon Mitchell, said: “We are very grateful for the support that Republic Bank CPL is giving to our young people as they look to rebuild their lives following the massive impact of Hurricane Beryl on Grenada. This support means that they can recover from the immediate impact of this disaster and focus solely on continuing their studies.”

For the first time, a women's franchise game will be played alongside a men's international, as Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced the fixtures of this year's Women's Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) to be held in Trinidad and Tobago, in August.

Three WCPL matches will be a part of double-headers along with West Indies men's T20 international series against South Africa.

Johnny Grave, CEO of Cricket West Indies, described the move as an exciting new concept for the second edition of the WCPL, which is scheduled for August 21 to 29.

"Women's cricket continues to be a strategic priority for Cricket West Indies, and this is another exciting new concept for WCPL 2024," Grave said.

"We are certain that there will be huge interest from people in Trinidad in these double headers, as fans will be able to watch world class international Men's cricket, followed by the best female cricketers in the region competing alongside some of the best overseas players in the world,” he added.

All the WCPL games will take place at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, with the double-headers scheduled for August 23, 25 and 27.

Pete Russell, CEO of the Caribbean Premier League, also expressed excitement at the move.

"We are very excited to be able to work with Cricket West Indies to have the WCPL take place at the same time as these Men's T20 Internationals. It is another example of how the two organisations are working in harmony to provide the best outcome for fans, players and cricket in the region. We look forward to another successful WCPL as the tournament continues to grow year on year,” Russell reasoned.

The Hayley Matthews-led Barbados Royals clinched the previous edition of the WCPL, where a total of seven matches were held, including the final, among three teams.

South Africa are scheduled to tour the Caribbean for two Tests in Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana from August 7. This will be followed by the three-match T20I series at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy from August 23 ahead of the CPL.

The two teams will also play a four-day warm-up game ahead of the Test series in Tarouba.

Caribbean Premier League (CPL)'s CEO believes scheduling arrangements through collaboration by the various T20 leagues should be routine to avoid the frequent tournament clashes, which forces players to fly from one tournament to another in a short window.

Russell’s suggestion came during an interview with ESPNcricinfo, as he called for regular meetings among franchise leagues owners and administrators to solve cricket's global scheduling crisis. This, as CPL and the Hundred have overlapped in the past, but will avoid a clash this season, following dialogue with England Cricket Board (ECB) earlier this year.

“[The ECB] have a defined window that they have to play in, and it happened that we could move everything out to ensure that we didn't clash [with the Hundred]. It makes absolutely zero sense if you've got [Sunil] Narine and [Andre] Russell having to fly back the day before the final of the Hundred. That's in no one's interests, and certainly not the Hundred's,” Russell declared.

"I hope that [collaboration] continues. It's not rocket science; it's what should happen with all leagues. It's just nonsense that we've got all this overlap when it just needs to be worked through. Scheduling is a challenge, I know, but it can't be that you have two leagues going at each other at the same time. To my mind, it doesn't make any sense,” he added.

While there is a precedent for leagues negotiating to manage potential clashes as shown by the PSL and ILT20, there were a number of leagues that ran simultaneously earlier in the year. Australia's Big Bash and New Zealand's Super Smash finished in mid-January; South Africa's SA20 and the UAE's ILT20 started in January and ran into February; the Bangladesh Premier League started in January and finished in March; and the Pakistan Super League ran from mid-February to mid-March.

With the ICC Champions Trophy scheduled for a return next year February, it is expected to further complicate the schedule where franchise leagues are concerned. It is for that reason why the general consensus among players worldwide is for global scheduling windows for franchise leagues and international cricket, to limit overlapping between the two.

While representatives of national governing bodies meet regularly at ICC level - most of whom control their own leagues - there is no specific forum for the owners and administrators of franchise leagues to discuss scheduling.

"It's the logical way to go - because we're all maturing, and we're all getting to a point where we are sustainable. They are generally regarded now as being part of the domestic calendar, wherever they are played,” Russell said.

“I think it is a case of, 'OK, let's have that group of people and say how do you figure out the schedule to the benefit of everyone. I think it's workable. Others might think it's not, but I just think the conversations at least need to take place, just to make sure [there's no clash],” he opined.

Russell used the recent release of Major League Cricket (MLC)'s 2024 fixture list –two months before the tournament starts – as evidence of a shortage of "joined-up thinking" among administrators. MLC is scheduled to begin on July 5 and, as such, is on a six-day overlapping course with the Hundred.

"They've only just come out with their schedule. Why does it take leagues so long to put a schedule together? We have all year to figure it out,” he noted.

That said, Russell also encouraged administrators to find a solution to the perverse incentives that emerged for players earlier this year.

"It can't be right. I saw the other day that where leagues were overlapping, a player who got knocked out before the semi-finals or finals could actually make more money by going to another league. That shouldn't be a thing,” he stated.

With their long-term agreement with Cricket West Indies (CWI) heavily scrutinised by government leaders and cricket stalwarts, chief executive, Pete Russell of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) defended the product’s positive contribution to cricket in the region.

Addressing the gathering on Friday’s final day of the CARICOM conference on West Indies cricket themed ‘Reinvigorating West Indies Cricket’, Russell said the CPL is one of CWI’s largest domestic commercial partners.

While noting that CPL contributed significantly to player economic welfare, with nearly US$28 million spent on salaries since the start of the tournament in 2013, Russell, also revealed that cumulative losses, across both the league and franchises for the past 11 years, stand at US$40 million.

“Dennis O’Brien and Digicel have been the principal investors, not only investing in the league from day one but they also spent money on sponsorship and media rights. The franchises have also pumped in significant money, money that helps pay players and coaches, as well as investing in local businesses around the region that help make the games happen. All the franchises have made losses.

“So, on the positive side, Cricket West Indies has been paid close to US$17 million in sanction fees, so over the past 12 years CPL would be one of CWI’s largest domestic, commercial partners. Caribbean players have taken home US$27.7 million in player salaries since the tournament’s inception, all paid for by the franchises,” Russell declared during the event held in Trinidad and Tobago.

“Each year, it takes US$25 million to run this tournament over five weeks. CPL and the franchises bear all these costs. There is no financial burden on CWI or the territorial boards, so the risk is 100 per cent ours.

“So that is our starting point each and every year. So as you can imagine, the commercial challenges are considerable just to break even,” he added.

Russell’s response came as government leaders and West Indies legend Sir Clive Lloyd, suggested that the 50-year contract between CPL and CWI be re-negotiated.

The issue of the league’s ownership was also called into question, as they view was largely expressed that there would potentially be more development and earnings for players, if CWI controlled the tournament.

But, Russell, a member of the CPL management team rebutted.

“What is interesting is that other leagues around the world are following the lead of CWI. They are also looking for third-party investors to help fund their leagues. The English Cricket Board are in the process of selling The Hundred, the Australian Cricket Board are courting outside investors for the Big Bash, Cricket South Africa sold all their rights to host broadcaster Supersport, and the new American Major League Cricket is 100 per cent privately owned,” Russell shared.

“In time, only the IPL will end up being 100 per cent owned by its domestic board and that is simply because they can afford to do so. So, trust me when I say, ownership isn’t everything, and smart stewardship and partnership can yield better results. But of course, we’re always happy to listen to any suggestions on how we can improve things,” he ended.

Organizers have confirmed that Trinidad and Tobago will host the third staging of the Women's Caribbean Premier League when the tournament bowls off in August.

The inaugural tournament in 2022 was played in St Kitts and Nevis, while last year's showpiece was played in Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago. This year's edition scheduled for August 21-29, will see Guyana Amazon Warriors, Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) and reigning champions Barbados Royals battling for top spot, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy (BLCA) in Tarouba.

“We would like to thank Trinidad and Tobago for agreeing to host this tournament and we are excited to be having the Massy WCPL taking place before we get the men’s tournament underway,” said CPL chief executive, Pete Russell.

“The commitment that the Trinidad & Tobago government has shown to women’s sport has been phenomenal and we are looking forward to another superb exhibition of world class cricket over these seven matches from 21 to 29 August," he added.

The three teams will clash in six group games, with the top two teams featuring in the final.

Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago's Minister of Sport and Community Development, Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis, expressed joy that the twin island republic will be host to the women's tournament, which will for the first time be contested before the men's edition.

"We are delighted to host once again the Massy Women's CPL, where the extraordinary talent of women in sport from across the region will be showcased. This tournament highlights the incredible skills of our female cricketers and underscores Trinidad and Tobago's unwavering commitment to promoting gender equality and fostering inclusivity in sport," she said.

"The Ministry of Sport and Community Development takes pride in spearheading the advancement of women's cricket and sport tourism in TT and we look forward to welcoming players and fans alike to our shores for an electrifying display of cricketing excellence," Cudjoe-Lewis noted.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) director of cricket Miles Bascombe has confirmed that a new Caribbean T20 tournament is being planned for next year.

Bascombe pointed out that the tournament, which has the blessings of Caribbean Premier League (CPL) organizers, is aimed at unearthing a wider range of new talent and is being earmarked for next year May.

“There is some recognition that the CPL may not necessarily be where those stars would emerge, so we are working with CPL to have an emerging players regional T20 tournament,” Bascombe revealed during a CWI press conference in Barbados Monday.

“We recognise in terms of T20 cricket that we need a way to find our next crop of T20 players. We have had success in T20 cricket and I’m sure the head coach [Darren Sammy] is anticipating some more success as we play at home in this (T20) World Cup. But we generally still have to work hard at finding our next crop of emerging T20 stars," he added.

News of the tournament initially came to the fore last December when CWI vice-president Azim Bassarath and Caribbean Premier League CEO Pete Russell indicated that the two bodies were in discussions about a secondary T20 spectacle. Russell at that point hinted at the prospect that the emerging players tournament could come to fruition.

“We feel that’s an important part of any cricket system, even CPL. So, we want to support that in as big a way as possible," Russell said.

The 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League will take place from 28 August to the 6 October with final will once again taking place in Guyana with the National Stadium in Providence hosting the conclusion of the Men’s event for the third year.

The tournament plans to have matches in Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago, Once again, the window for the CPL will not clash with West Indies fixtures so the best Caribbean talent will be on show at the Biggest Party in Sport.

Pete Russell, Republic Bank CPL’s CEO, said: “We are very pleased that this window allows the CPL to give the best players from the Caribbean the opportunity to showcase their talents. The window also allows CPL franchises to sign the best available international players after successful discussions with other leagues to avoid the same clashes we had in 2023. As always,we would like to thank Cricket West Indies for their help and support in finding a window that works so well for all stakeholders.”

Johnny Grave, Cricket West Indies CEO, said: "We are pleased to have once again worked closely with the CPL to strategically prioritize this window so that all West Indian cricketers can participate in the full CPL tournament once again. With the 2024 CPL taking place just two months after hosting the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in the region, it provides another fantastic opportunity for our fans to enjoy some world class exciting T20 cricket and for our regional governments to benefit from more cricket generated economic activity.”

The Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has further strengthened its commitment to develop sports tourism across the Caribbean by employing Deanna Weekes as its new Tourism Partner Manager.

Weekes is an experienced tourism professional, who will work with CPL’s tourist board partners to create packages for travelling fans to visit all CPL host countries during the 2024 tournament.

According to figures from the UNWTO, sports tourism currently represents 10% of global tourist flow, with this expected to grow to 12% in 2024. With sports tourism being such a key economic driver for the industry, the Caribbean has much to gain by growing its share of this lucrative sector.

In 2024, CPL will be working even more closely with partners across the region to develop sports tourism and build valuable market share.

Pete Russell, Republic Bank CPL’s CEO said the organisation is tremendously excited to be able to begin offering fans travel packages to watch CPL teams in six wonderful locations across the Caribbean.

"We are blessed with hugely passionate fans and by employing a dedicated tourism manager who will work with hotels, airlines and tourist boards, we will be making it easier than ever for fans to travel to watch CPL cricket. With the ICC T20 World Cup in the Caribbean this year be a bumper year for sports tourism and CPL are looking forward to building on the momentum from that event," Russell said.

Weekes also expressed excitement at her appointment as Tourism Partner Manager.

“This is a really exciting opportunity to be involved in the biggest annual sporting event in the Caribbean. I am looking forward to working with all CPL’s tourism partners to build on the existing strong relationships to push CPL’s impact on the regional economies to another level," she noted.

The final of the 2023 Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) will take place in Trinidad & Tobago on Sunday 10 September. The second season of the WCPL will see an expanded scheduled of seven matches with each of the three teams playing four group games with the top two qualifying for the final.

The tournament gets underway on 30 August and the three teams taking part are Trinbago Knight Riders, Barbados Royals and Guyana Amazon Warriors. The teams will feature the best talent from across the Caribbean and some of the best international cricketers from around the world.

 “We are hugely excited to have an expanded WCPL schedule for 2023 and we are grateful to the government of Trinidad & Tobago for their support in helping to grow the tournament in 2023," said Pete Russell, CEO of the Caribbean Premier League.

"We are very much looking forward to seeing one of these three fantastic teams lift the WCPL trophy in Trinidad & Tobago on 10 September."

Minister of Sport and Community Development, the Honourable Shamfa Cudjoe believes hosting the final could not be more timely for the twin-island republic.

"Once again, the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is pleased to partner with the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) as we get ready to host the final match of the 2023 Women’s CPL. The hosting of this game comes at an opportune time as it strategically aligns with the goal of the Ministry’s ongoing Pink Reign TT campaign, which speaks to promoting women and girls in sport," she said.

"This not only allows Trinidad and Tobago to showcase the true spirit of the Caribbean by bringing together cricket enthusiasts from around the world, but it also serves as a testament to the Government’s commitment to encourage women and girls to live a healthier, more active lifestyle. This year, we look forward to working hand in hand with CPL and other key stakeholders to ensure a seamless and unforgettable experience for all participants and attendees."

Republic Bank Limited, the largest indigenous bank in the English-speaking Caribbean, has been announced as the new title sponsor and official bank of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

The announcement was made by CPL Chief Executive Officer, Pete Russell, in a press conference held Wednesday in Port of Spain to launch the 2023 season of the T20 cricket tournament.

 Having previously sponsored the CPL as the official banking partner since 2015, the bank will now assume the league’s highest sponsorship profile for the next three (3) years.

Republic Bank has also been confirmed as a partner for the Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) which will return in 2023 for its second edition. The WCPL sees the best female cricketers from across the region and around the world showcase their skills in front of a huge global audience.

“Republic Bank are the perfect partner for the CPL and WCPL, a company that shares our passion for cricket and Caribbean culture,” said Pete Russell, CEO of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League.

“The CPL is a driver of economic growth and the creation of jobs, so having a financial group like Republic Bank as the title sponsor makes perfect sense. In addition, Republic Bank has a great track record of spreading the love of cricket across the region, something that is important to all of us at the CPL.”

Nigel Baptiste, Group President and Chief Executive Officer for the Republic Group, said: “We are excited to be the Title Sponsor and Official Bank of the Caribbean Premier League. Cricket is hugely important to Caribbean heritage, culture, community and youth development and as the Caribbean’s largest sporting event and one of its most significant sport entertainment exports, the CPL demonstrates to the world the Caribbean’s capability and prowess, illustrates our talent and future potential, and showcases our joyous and incomparable spirit.”  

The 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) generated a huge economic impact for Guyana as the country hosted the finals for the very first time as part of the newly created Cricket Carnival.

The total economic impact for Guyana in 2022 was S$84,425,587, a 186 per cent increase on the figure from the last time the country hosted Hero CPL matches in 2019.

The vision of His Excellency Irfaan Ali in showcasing the country’s many creative and social attributes whilst making the country the entertainment capital of the region for two weeks in September, led to the most successful hosting of any CPL finals.

Businesses across the country benefited from the significant uplift of in-bound tourism during September last year, as people travelled to be part of the Biggest Party in Sport. The fans certainly didn’t disappoint with almost 50,000 attending the playoff games alone.

With CPL spending more time in Guyana than previous years along with the change to the tournament structure where all six teams, TV production crew and tournament staff travelled as one cohort CPL’s direct spend increased significantly, with one metric showing a total of 25,783 hotel room nights filled across the tournament, a 236 per cent increase on the figure from 2019.

This report was generated by independent, world-renowned research company, YouGov Sport, with the make-up of the values including the total spent by Hero CPL to put on the 2022 event, the value of media exposure for the country from the broadcast of matches and the money spent with local business by those who travelled into Guyana for the tournament.

The total viewership for the 2022 Hero CPL also smashed all records as it increased to 721.8million. This is the third successive year that the tournament has generated a viewership figure of over half a billion.

“The reception for the Hero CPL in Guyana last year exceeded anything we have seen before, and we are hugely grateful for the vision of His Excellency Irfaan Ali, who masterminded the Cricket Carnival concept and showed how cricket can deliver significant economic value when planned alongside other entertainment initiatives,” said Pete Russell, Hero CPL CEO.

“We are so grateful for the amazing support we continue to receive in Guyana and are thankful that we have been able to repay the country with these fantastic numbers. We can’t wait to make an even bigger impact in 2023."

The fixtures for the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and the inaugural Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) have been confirmed. The tournament will visit St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago and culminate in the final in Guyana.

The opening day of the tournament will see the Trinbago Knight Riders Women take on the Barbados Royals women before the current Men’s champions, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, begin their title defence against the Jamaica Tallawahs.

The women’s CPL will feature four matches in the inaugural 2022 season in addition to the seven women’s games at the SKYEXCH 6IXTY which takes place immediately before Hero CPL.  This is 11 matches in total, representing a big step forward in the scheduling of women’s franchise cricket in the region, with plans to grow this in subsequent years.

“It is very exciting to be able to confirm the fixtures for this season with this announcement being all the more special with the WCPL taking place for the first time in 2022,” said CPL CEO Pete Russell. “We can’t wait to be back travelling around the Caribbean and we are looking forward to welcoming our wonderful fans to stadiums across the region.”

2022 CPL schedule below:

 Wednesday 31 August, 3 pm

Trinbago Knight Riders Women vs Barbados Royals Women

Wednesday 31 August, 7 pm

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men vs Jamaica Tallawahs Men

Thursday 1 September, 10 am

Saint Lucia Kings Men vs Trinbago Knight Riders Men

Thursday 1 September, 3 pm

Guyana Amazon Warriors Women vs Trinbago Knight Riders Women

Thursday 1 September, 7 pm

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men vs Barbados Royals Men

Saturday 3 September, 10 am

Jamaica Tallawahs Men vs Guyana Amazon Warriors Men

Saturday 3 September, 3 pm

Barbados Royals Women vs Guyana Amazon Warriors Women

Saturday 3 September, 7 pm

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men vs Trinbago Knight Riders Men

Sunday 4 September, 10 am

Barbados Royals Men vs Saint Lucia Kings Men

Sunday 4 September, 2:30 pm

WOMEN’S FINAL 

Sunday 4 September, 7 pm

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men vs Guyana Amazon Warriors Men

Saint Lucia

Wednesday 7 September, 10 am

Barbados Royals Men vs Trinbago Knight Riders Men

Wednesday 7 September, 7 pm

St Lucia Kings Men vs Jamaica Tallawahs Men

Thursday  8 September, 10 am

Guyana Amazon Warriors Men vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men

Thursday  8 September, 7 pm

Saint Lucia Kings Men vs Barbados Royals Men

Saturday 10 September, 10 am

Jamaica Tallawahs Men vs Trinbago Knight Riders Men

Saturday 10 September, 7 pm

Saint Lucia Kings Men vs Guyana Amazon Warriors Men

Sunday 11 September, 10 am

Jamaica Tallawahs Men vs Barbados Royals Men

Sunday 11 September, 7 pm

Saint Lucia Kings Men vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men

Trinidad

Tuesday 13 September, 7 pm

Trinbago Knight Riders Men vs Barbados Royals Men

Wednesday 14 September 10 am

Jamaica Tallawahs Men vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men

Wednesday 14 September, 7 pm

Trinbago Knight Riders Men vs Guyana Amazon Warriors Men

Thursday 15 September, 10 am

Barbados Royals Men vs Jamaica Tallawahs Men

Saturday 17  September, 10 am

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men vs Saint Lucia Kings Men

Saturday 17  September, 7 pm

Trinbago Knight Riders Men vs Jamaica Tallawahs Men

Sunday 18 September, 10 am

Barbados Royals Men vs Guyana Amazon Warriors Men

Sunday 18 September, 7 pm

Trinbago Knight Riders Men vs Saint Lucia Kings Men

Guyana

Wednesday 21 September, 10 am

Barbados Royals Men vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men

Wednesday 21 September, 7 pm

Guyana Amazon Warriors Men vs Jamaica Tallawahs Men

Thursday 22 September, 10 am

Trinbago Knight Riders Men vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men

Thursday 22 September, 7 pm

Guyana Amazon Warriors Men vs Saint Lucia Kings Men

Saturday 24 September, 7 pm

Guyana Amazon Warriors Men vs Trinbago Knight Riders Men

Sunday 25 September, 10 am

Jamaica Tallawahs Men vs Saint Lucia Kings Men

Sunday 25 September, 7 pm

Guyana Amazon Warriors Men vs Barbados Royals Men

Tuesday 27 September, 10 am

Qualifier 1 -  1st place finisher vs 2nd place finisher

Tuesday 27 September, 7 pm

Eliminator – 3rd place finisher vs 4th place finisher

Wednesday 28 September, 7 pm

Qualifier 2 – Winner of Eliminator vs Loser of Qualifier 1

Friday 30 September, 7 pm

Final – Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Qualifier 2

There is a new format coming to the Caribbean in 2022 with Cricket West Indies and the Caribbean Premier League bringing you THE 6IXTY – Cricket’s Power Game.

The first edition of THE 6IXTY will take place from August 24-28 in St Kitts & Nevis at one of world cricket’s fastest scoring grounds – Warner Park. Future expansion plans of the 6IXTY include the potential of multiple events at different locations around the Caribbean and beyond.

THE 6IXTY is a joint venture between Cricket West Indies and the Caribbean Premier League with the two organizations working closely together to create another world-class event.

“This is a hugely exciting moment for both CPL and Cricket West Indies as we create a tournament that will see cricket fans brought closer to the game,” said CPL CEO Pete Russell.

“There will be world-class men’s and women’s cricketers taking part in a fantastic event for the Caribbean and this combined with cutting-edge innovations, signals a great moment for all fans of West Indian cricket.”

CWI President Ricky Skerritt said he is excited by the introduction of the new format.

"THE 6IXTY has come about because of a close collaboration between CPL and CWI which is the way forward," he said.

"I am really excited about the innovation, excitement and entertainment that it is going to bring to the fans.”

The first edition of THE 6IXTY will see men’s and women’s teams compete in a new 60-ball tournament featuring many of the best cricketers from around the world with SKYEXCH the title sponsor for 2022.

This revolutionary format will see brand new innovations that will change T10 cricket and make the game even faster-paced and action-packed.

Under the rules, each batting team has six wickets – at the fall of the sixth wicket they are all out; each batting team has two PowerPlay overs. They can unlock a third PowerPlay by hitting two sixes in the first 12 balls. This extra PowerPlay over can be taken at any time between overs three to nine.

There will be 30 balls bowled from one end before the action switches to the other end for the final 30 balls, the 30 balls will be delivered as five separate overs, with no bowler being able to bowl more than two overs for the innings.

 If teams do not bowl their overs within the allotted time, a member of their team is removed from the field for the final six balls. Fans will vote for the timing of a “Mystery Free Hit” where a batter can’t be dismissed by the bowler.

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The Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has confirmed that St Kitts & Nevis will be hosting matches during the 2022 tournament which will run from August 30 to September 30. St Kitts & Nevis will host seven matches between August 30 and September 4 with the home team and current champions, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, playing in four of those games.

 Hero CPL will return to St Kitts & Nevis again in 2022 after the Federation successfully hosted the whole tournament in 2021.

 Pete Russell, Hero CPL’s CEO, said: “The 2021 Hero CPL was an enormous success, and we are hugely grateful to the government and people of St Kitts & Nevis who were fabulous hosts. Warner Park is a fantastic venue, and we are very excited to be back there as St Kitts & Nevis Patriots get their championship defence underway in front of a home crowd.”

 The Hon. Jonel Powell, Minister of Sport for St Kitts & Nevis, said: “The hosting of the CPL in its entirety in 2021 in St Kitts & Nevis proved a success in every way for our people. Tremendous direct economic gains were made in our economy and to individuals at a difficult time due to the pandemic. Our people were able to receive some much-needed ‘Covid relief’ socially through the amazing matches, and our very own St Kitts & Nevis Patriots won its first CPL title in the most dramatic style.

 “This is why we are very pleased to partner with CPL once again as a host venue for their 2022 edition, and to have the opportunity to see our Patriots defend their title right here at historic Warner Park.”

The 2022 season will take place in four countries, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana with the final set to talk place at Providence on September 30.