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IT is that time of year again for the Biggest Party in Sport – the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) from August 14-September 21.
Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) will bowl off life with new coach Dwayne Bravo, who has spent most of his CPL career with the franchise. TKR have not held the trophy since 2020, a drought the four-time champions would hope to end. There are players making a surprise return to the franchise aiming to rekindle past glory, along with core members eager to taste the feeling of success once again.
It will certainly not be a walk in the park for the most decorated CPL franchise as St Lucia Kings will aim to go back-to-back; St Kitts and Nevis Patriots will lean on a dangerous bowling attack; top-heavy Barbados Royals will battle for another crown; Antigua and Barbuda Falcons will try to make a strong run in their second year after returning to the competition; and the consistency of Guyana Amazon Warriors is expected to be a threat again.
New coach, new skipper as TKR bowl off new era
Having won four titles between 2015 and 2020, fans of TKR have been spoiled over the years. The sweet taste of victory has evaded the TT franchise for the past five years, a drought that the Nicholas Pooran-led team will be aiming to end.
TKR will have a new coach on board this year, a man who is no stranger to the franchise. DJ Bravo was part of all four championship winning teams, most as captain.
[caption id="attachment_1172382" align="alignnone" width="683"] Trinbago Knight Riders Dwayne Bravo. - Photo courtesy CPL T20[/caption]
Bravo will coach a team with players he has been playing alongside for half his life including Pollard, Sunil Narine and his younger brother Darren.
Darren was a surprise choice by TKR, but the TT franchise will hope his chemistry with his brother, Pollard and company will lead to victories in 2025.
Another player who will return to the TKR team this year is left-handed aggressive batsman Colin Munro. The New Zealander will aim to replicate his productivity from past seasons. In the 2018 tournament, Munro was the MVP after finishing the tournament with a leading 567 runs for champions TKR.
TKR will bank on the pedigree of Pooran, Keacy Carty and Andre Russell in the batting department.
Fans will be anxious to see Pooran, as the left-hander has been missing in action after announcing his retirement from international cricket at age 29 earlier this year.
Spin has always been integral to TKR’s titles and this year may be no different. Sunil Narine and Akeal Hosein will again lead the way, while new signings Yannic Cariah and Pakistani Usman Tariq will provide support.
A huge loss for TKR will be left-arm spinner Waqar Salamkheil, who has joined the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.
TKR squad: Nicholas Pooran (captain), Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine,, Alex Hales, Mohammad Amir, Colin Munro, Usman Tariq, Ali Khan, Darren Bravo, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Terrance Hinds, McKenny Clarke, Joshua Da Silva, Nathan Edward, Dwayne Bravo (coach).
Consistent Amazon Warriors hunt second CPL crown
The Guyana Amazon Warriors always find themselves in the title race, led by enthusiastic 46-year-old captain Imran Tahir.
The Warriors fans are among the most die-hard in the tournament as all the team’s home games are packed to the rafters. Some of the Warriors’ away games have a large contingent of fans also.
[caption id="attachment_1172384" align="alignnone" width="683"] Waqar Salamkheil of St Kitts and Nevis Patriots bowls during the 2025 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League match against Antigua and Barbuda Falcons at Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts, on August 14. Photo by Randy Brooks/CPL T20 via Getty Images -[/caption]
The Warriors, for years, have had many of their local players on the team with Shimron Hetmyer, Romario Shepherd, Keemo Paul and Gudakesh Motie all playing key roles.
A few young players will be hoping to get playing time including Kevlon Anderson and Jediah Blades, who both made their debut for West Indies earlier this year.
South African allrounder Dwaine Pretorius and English allrounder Moeen Ali are back with the unit for another run.
Amazon Warriors squad: Imran Tahir (captain), Shimron Hetmyer, Romario Shepherd, Shai Hope, Ben McDermott, Gudakesh Motie, Moeen Ali, Shamar Joseph, Keemo Paul, Dwaine Pretorius, Shamarh Brooks, Kemol Savory, Hassan Khan, Jediah Blades, Kevlon Anderson, Quentin Sampson, Riyad Latif, Lance Klusener (coach).
Top-heavy Royals welcome King, Rutherford
The Barbados Royals have a few players that can take a match away from any opposition.
The Royals may not have the depth like other franchises, but they have some world-class players who can win matches in the 2025 season.
South African Quinton de Kock can destroy any bowling attack with his destructive nature with the bat.
Royals captain, former West Indies T20 skipper Rovman Powell, has had a quiet year and will want to use the CPL to remind people of his talent.
[caption id="attachment_1172385" align="alignnone" width="1024"] South Africa and Barbados Royals opening batsman Quinton de Kock raises his helmet after cracking a hundred against Guyana Amazon Warriors in their 2024 Republic Bank CPL clash at Kensington Oval, Barbados. Photo courtesy CPL via Getty Images. -[/caption]
Left-handed Sherfane Rutherford has joined the Royals from the Patriots and Brandon King has signed from the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, adding more force to the line up.
Mujeeb ur Rahman of Afghanistan will be one of the bowlers that the Royals will need to be on top of his game to stand a chance this year.
The team is a youthful one with numerous players looking to make a name. Kadeem Alleyne showed glimpses of his quality last year with the Royals and Shaqkere Parris had a solid season in 2024 with TKR.
Royals squad: Rovman Powell (captain), Brandon King, Sherfane Rutherford, Quinton de Kock, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Daniel Sams, Eathan Bosch, Jomel Warrican, Kadeem Alleyne, Shaqkere Parris, Kofi James, Nyeem Young, Rivaldo Clarke, Zishan Motara, Johann Layne, Ramon Simmonds, Trevor Penny (coach).
Kings go for repeat; life begins after du Plessis, but David adds muscle
The St Lucia Kings finally got their hands on the CPL trophy in 2024. The Kings will aim to become just the second team
in the 13-year history of the CPL to win back-to-back titles. South African Faf du Plessis stuck it through the good and bad times with the St Lucia franchise, until they finally got over the line last year.
Du Plessis, now 41, will not feature in the 2025 CPL opting to play in The Hundred in England.
Tim David, who had a modest campaign with TKR in 2024, will add force to the batting line up.
David has been in scintillating form. In his last four matches for Australia he has cracked 102 not out, 30, 83 and 50 – two against West Indies and two against South Africa.
Kings will have to do without the services of 2024 MVP Noor Ahmad who is unavailable. South African Tabraiz Shamsi is a spinner with a similar style and St Lucia fans are hoping he fills the void.
Core players back in the fray are opener Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Khary Pierre, Tim Seifert of New Zealand, Alzarri Joseph, captain David Wiese of Namibia and of course their inspirational coach Daren Sammy.
Kings squad: David Wiese (captain), Tim David, Alzarri Joseph, Johnson Charles, Tim Seifert, Roston Chase, Tabraiz Shamsi, Delano Potgieter, Matthew Forde, Aaron Jones, Khary Pierre, Javelle Glenn, Micah McKenzi, Shadrack Descarte, Johann Jeremiah, Keon Gaston, Ackeem Auguste, Daren Sammy (coach).
Can Falcons soar in 2025?
The Falcons, who replaced the Jamaica Tallawahs in the 2024 season, are similar to the Royals with players still vying for that breakthrough season. Amir Jangoo and Jewel Andrew have played on West Indies white-ball teams recently, but both will want to capitalise during the season to show Windies coach Sammy that they can be permanent fixtures in the West Indies T20 team.
Bowling allrounders Shamar Springer and Odean Smith have been around for some time and their fast bowling will be an asset if they are at their best.
The team’s leaders will be lead by the foreign pair of Pakistani Imad Wasim and Shakib al Hasan of Bangladesh.
Fast bowler Jayden Seales has been in ripping form in the 50-over format and will try to replicate that fire. Antigua and Barbuda played under the name Hawksbills in 2013 and 2014 – the first two editions of the CPL.
The Falcons made a dismal start to the 2025 campaign, losing by six wickets to the Patriots on August 14.
Falcons squad: Imad Wasim (captain), Shakib al Hasan, Fabian Allen, Obed McCoy, Justin Greaves, Bevon Jacobs, Jayden Seales, Allah Ghazanfar, Rahkeem Cornwall, Odean Smith, Jewel Andrew, Shamar Springer, Amir Jangoo, Karima Gore, Kevin Wickham, Joshua James, Paul Nixon (coach).
Patriots overseas bowlers bring strength to unit
How far the Patriots go in the tournament may depend on their overseas players. Spinner Salamkheil had a fruitful stint with TKR in 2024 and will certainly be an asset, along with his countryman Fazalhaq Farooqi.
Farooqi is a left-arm pacer who enjoyed himself in West Indies conditions last year in the T20 World Cup, helping Afghanistan make it all the way to the semifinals.
He ended with 17 wickets, tied at the top of the bowling charts with India’s Arshdeep Singh.
The Pakistan pair of pacer Naseem Shah and spinner Mohammad Nawaz will add more firepower to the Patriots. The dangerous bowling attack of the Patriots was on show in their opening match, bowling out Falcons for 121.
West Indies trio Kyle Mayers, Jason Holder and Evin Lewis will provide experience to the line up as Patriots eye their second title. The St Kitts franchise won their only crown in 2021.
Patriots squad: Jason Holder (captain), Kyle Mayers, Rilee Rossouw, Evin Lewis, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Naseem Shah, Waqar Salamkheil, Andre Fletcher, Alick Athanaze, Mohammad Nawaz, Dominic Drakes, Mikyle Louis, Ashmead Nedd, Jeremiah Louis, Jyd Goolie, Navin Bidaisee, Leniko Boucher, Simon Helmot (coach).
 
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