Jamaica to host CPL draft next month

Kingston (Jamaica), March 11 (IANS/CMC): The draft for the second edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will be held on April 3 in Jamaica, officials have announced.

The draft will include 228 players, including 121 overseas cricketers, amounting to more than five times the number of overseas players in the 2013 draft, reports CMC.

If drafted in by the franchises, English cricketers will feature in the tournament for the first time this year, while players from Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka have also signed up.

“The vast majority of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad has also signed up,” a CPL release said.

“New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka are also well represented, and the draft will include several current and former international captains, leading Test stars, T20 specialists and limited-overs legends.”

The West Indies aside, Australia will have the largest representation at the draft, with 30 players lining up, including 15 internationals.

Officials have promised to release the full list of players next week.

Jamaica Tallawahs had won the inaugural edition, ahead of Antigua Hawksbills, Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, St. Lucia Zouks and Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel.

These same six franchises will play the 2014 competition in July and August.