Caribbean Premier League (CPL) also known as the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League is the domestic men’s T20 cricket league of West Indies in which six teams participate. which was established in 2013 by Cricket West Indies.
The first season of CPL took place in 2013 and from then onwards CPL became one of the most entertaining domestic cricket leagues in the world. The inaugural edition was won by Jamaica Tallawahs who defeated Guyana Amazon Warriors.
History and Format
West Indies always focused on the shorter format of the game. Before CPL T20, West Indies had a private cricket tournament, ‘Stanford 20/20’. However, soon after its second season it was stopped as the title sponsor Allen Stanford was arrested. After which it was replaced by the Caribbean Premier League. WICB announced the idea of CPL in 2012 and soon after a lot of meetings and discussions with the investors and sponsors, the first season of CPL was launched in 2013.
Currently, six teams participate in the CPL. The tournament is based on group stage and then knock out stage. Each team plays a total of 10 matches in the league stage and 3 matches of each team are at home. The format of the tournament is quite different in comparison with other domestic leagues. All 6 teams are co-located at a single site and then the fixtures are shifted to a new location for 5 more games. Top 4 teams qualifies for the playoffs stage which includes 2 semi finals and a final.
Teams and Players
1. Jamaica Tallawahs – Rovman Powell (Captain)
Key players:
- Brandon King
- Fabian Allen
- Imad Wasim
- Mohammad Amir
2. St Kitts and Nevis Patriots – Dwayne Bravo (Captain)
Key Players:
- Evin Lewis
- Andre Fletcher
- Rashid khan
- Wanindu Hasaranga
3. Barbados royals – David Miller (Captain)
Key Players:
- Kyle Mayers
- Jason Holder
- Quinton De Kock
- Mujeeb Ur Rahman
4. Saint Lucia Kings – Faf Du Plessis (Captain)
Key Players:
- Johnson Charles
- Alzarri Joseph
- Roston Chase
- Tim David
5. Trinbago Knight Riders – Kieron Pollard (Captain)
Key Players:
- Andre Russell
- Nicholas Pooran
- Sunil Narine
- Colin Munro
6. Guyana Amazon Warriors – Shimron Hetmyer (Captain)
Key Players:
- Shai Hope
- Shakib Al Hasan
- Heinrich Kaasen
- Imran Tahir
Memorable Moments and Records
Moments:
- Shakib Al Hasan’s figure of 6/6 in his 4 overs.
- Martin Guptill’s one handed stunner.
- Sunil Narine’s maiden wicket super over.
- Andre Russell’s amazing cntury.
- Sammy’s heroics in the Darren Sammy Stadium.
Records:
- Most Runs – Lendl Simmons
- Most Wickets – DJ Bravo
- Most Centuries – Dwane Smith & Chris Gayle
- Most Half Centuries – Lendl Simmons
- Most Fifers – David Wiese, Raymond Reifer, Shakib Al Hasan, Fidel Edwards, Sohail Tanvir DJ Bravo & Hayden Walsh
- Most Fours – Johnson Charles
- Most Sixes – Chris Gayle
- Highest Individual Score – Brandon King
Impact on West Indies Cricket
West Indies are the most successful T20 team as it has won 2 ICC T20 World Cups and has all the ability and skills what a perfect T20 team needs. The reason of West Indies being so successful is the CPL.
- Popularity
The CPL has become extremely popular among fans because of the quality of cricket being played. The popularity can be observed by the attendance as the stadiums are full. The energetic crowd and the bubbly nature of players makes this league special.
- Increased viewership
Viewership of the previous CPL tournaments was both from TV and digital but this season many more people watched digitally. Its viewership has also attracted many non-cricket fans as well. The quality of power hitting that is shown by the players in the league is outstanding which is one of the reason of increased viewership.
- Showcase of talent
Many youngsters showed their talents in the CPL. The league provided a great platform for the young guns as well as for the players who lost their place in the national side.
- Revenue generation
Since West Indies is one of the poorest cricket boards of the world. Tournaments like this would attract the sponsors and the investors to put their money in which will further lead to revenue generation and expansion of the board.
Conclusion
CPL is one of the most entertaining franchise leagues in the world in terms of viewership & attendance. 6 teams participate in the league. It replaced the a private cricket tournament, ‘Stanford 20/20’.It provides a great platform for the players to show their talent and also has a positive impact on West Indies Cricket Board. South Asian countries like – Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, etc. can watch the CPL on Sony Six HD & Fancode app. The league’s highlights are also available on YouTube and Facebook.
