KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC- Former Jamaica Prime Minister PJ Patterson believes the mixture of players from different countries around the region on the same team for the upcoming Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will help bolster the game in the region.
Patterson, the newly appointed CPL T20 committee chairman, speaking after the committee’s first meeting in Kingston, says such an occurrence could result in regional players and officials becoming better professionals.
“I think one of the good things that will emerge from this competition is that the teams will not be comprised purely of just nationals of the territories where the teams are located,” Patterson told the Jamaica Star.
“We are going to have some cross-fertilisation of talent, as we really want to ensure that we have fixed balanced teams that make the competition attractive.”
The inaugural CPL is set to bowl off on July 30 with a ceremony in Barbados.
The ceremony, to be televised to millions around the world, is scheduled to feature an opening match between franchise teams from Barbados and St Lucia.
The tournament, which will run for three weeks, is expected to include 24 international players, six of which have already been announced, and 66 regional players.
Players are representing six regional territorial-based franchise teams from Antigua, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and St Lucia.
Each country is set to host four preliminary round matches, with the semi-finals and final slated for Trinidad on the weekend of August 21, 22 and 24.
