Guyana, T&T to host CPL’s 2019 opening games, playoffs

Ahead of the 2019 season, Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and Cricket West Indies (CWI) joined forces to structure the best possible window for the 2019 edition of the tournament; allowing fans to see the Windies biggest T20 stars in action.
This year will see for the second time a number of contracted CWI players representing the various franchises. Regarding the move to ensure that the very best players are available during the tournament, Hero CPL Chief Operating Officer (COO) Pete Russell said, “We are very pleased to be playing our tournament in August and September for the third successive year and we have now agreed that this will be the time of year that CPL takes place for the next five seasons.”
Since its birth, the tournament has gone from strength to strength with a number of young talents being promoted to the world while T20 world stars are being churned out by the numbers on an annual basis.
Russell further stated that the move now afforded guaranteed availability of top players. “Fans now associate this time of year with Hero CPL and we have already started work on bringing the party to life in 2019. Having the best Caribbean cricketers and the world’s best overseas players is what our tournament is all about, and this window gives us that,” he said.
Over the years, the CWI and CPL have grown closer owing to both entities inevitably having to share the talents of the Caribbean; thus resulting in a phenomenal partnership which now ensures that the fans are treated to the best cricket, with the best West Indies players on show.
Speaking on the newly-constricted window, CWI CEO Johnny Grave stated, “The Hero CPL has developed into one of the best and most exciting T20 competitions in the world and we look forward to hosting another successful tournament later this year.”
He continued, “We are pleased that we have been able to find a window in our Windies international calendar to ensure that all the best Caribbean cricketers can take part, as the tournament plays a crucial role in our preparations and planning for the T20 World Cup in 2020.”
Meanwhile, according to a release from the Hero CPL on Friday, the seventh edition of “Summer’s Biggest Party” will get underway from August 21 and will run up to September 27 with 34 high-intensity matches set to thrill the Caribbean fans.
Much like last year’s edition of the tournament; the Hero CPL will bowl off its opening round of games in the twin-island republic of Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana. Following the opening rounds, teams will tour the Caribbean before returning to the two territories to wrap up the competition with the play-offs and finals.