The inaugural Caribbean Premier League (CPL) was launched Tuesday night at the Country Club, Sandy Lane Hotel, St. James, Barbados with entrepreneur Ajmal Khan, founder and chairman of the Verus International, organisers of the event, (along with the West Indies Cricket Board) promising to make the event the biggest party on the planet.
A small gathering of politicians including Guyana’s Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony and Tourism Minister Irfaan Ali, West Indies cricket legends including Sir Wes Hall, Sir Garfield Sobers, Clive Lloyd, Joel Garner, Ian Bishop and others, officials of the West Indies and Barbados Cricket Boards including WICB CEO Michael Muirhead, Jaime Stewart, CEO of Commune and members of the regional media were treated to a show that was just an appetizer for the main course which is to follow in a few months time.
“The Caribbean Premier League is poised to become the biggest annual event definitely in the Caribbean if not the world. I’m counting on the support of each and every one of you to make this initiative a success,” said Khan.
According to Khan, the CPL stood to transform the region, like no other event has done adding that the CPL was at present in negotiations to bring A-list Hollywood and Bollywood stars here for the matches.
“We’re in the midst of negotiating with A-list Hollywood, Bollywood, musical talents to be involved with us in developing and being with us in the CPL,” he said.
Khan plans to use the platform of T20 cricket and tourism to transform the region into real life financial success.
“We have world class music and entertainment… The total entertainment experience will capture the imagination of all and naturally get global attention. We will turn this fantasy into a glamorous reality.
This, my friends is going to be the ultimate carnival of cricket,” he promised.
Earlier, CEO of Verus International Dirk Hall, who will co-ordinate the Caribbean T20 spectacle, said “Verus International is delighted to partner with the WICB and enter into a long term agreement for the Caribbean Premier League.”
He added:”We have finalized the tournament dates for the next three years. This year, the month-long tournament begins on Monday, July 29 and ends on Monday, August 26 with 30 matches that will be seen by audiences around the world. In 2014, those days are July 5 to August 10 and in 2015 the dates will be June 21st to July 26.
This year’s tournament will be held in the window period announced by the WICB because its senior team has no engagements during this period and the schedule will allow for full participation of the West Indies star players.
Pointing out that the West Indies are the ICC T20 champions and recognizing one member of that team Marlon Samuels in the audience, Hall said: “We feel that the West Indies deserves its own professional franchise-based T20 league.”
The CPL, he declared, will show the world not how well the region knows cricket but how well the region knows how to party.
West Indies Cricket Board president Julian Hunte said that his organization was pleased to team up with Verus in the staging of the T20 league which is an exciting venture for West Indies cricket and the region as a whole.
“The CPL has been a dream of West Indies cricket for years. We are now within months of the first ball being bowled and in touching distance to this dream becoming a reality before the eyes of cricket fans in the Caribbean,” and around the World,” said Hunte.
Hunte said that he was also pleased with the fact that Verus had agreed to paying regional players retainer contracts to the tune of US$360,000 annually.
“The West Indies Cricket Board is particularly pleased with the opportunities the CPL will provide for players but is equally elated with the agreement which will allow for regional retainer contracts for a broad pool of players.
“These contracts will be funded by the CPL to the tune of US$360,000 and this significant investment will surely allow for cricketers in the Caribbean to pursue their profession as professionals something that we have wished for a long time,” he declared.
He also spoke of the attendant benefits.
“The CPL will bring direct and indirect economic and social benefits to every country in which it is involved and in neighbouring countries. It will augment in a major way our already world renowned tourism projects. The benefits will extend even further. The CPL will transform the landscape of the region and take it to a new dimension,” said Hunte.
At the launch, the names of six franchise players were announced to fireworks, by cricket commentator Ian Bishop, the six being, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo and Sunil Narine of Trinidad and Tobago, Samuels and Chris Gayle of Jamaica and West Indies captain Darren Sammy of St Lucia.
The names of the six prospective countries where the matches will be played were also announced by Khan with Guyana joining Antigua and Barbuda, St. Lucia, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados although Khan was quick to point out that countries such as St. Kitts, Dominica, The Bahamas and Grenada were also in the running.
Khan founded Verus Capital Corporation, a diversified investment group in 1985 and is the President and Chief Executive officer.
Verus Capital Corporation has invested in a number of spheres namely the Internet, Biotechnology, Real Estate and the Media, Barry Wilkinson, host of the evening ceremony stated.
