Cricket

The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is set to welcome a new franchise in 2024, the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons. The Falcons have made several high-profile signings, including Pakistan trio Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim, and Fakhar Zaman.Amir, a left-arm fast bowler, is a veteran of international cricket with over 250 wickets across all formats. Wasim, a left-arm spinner, is known for his economical bowling and ability to take wickets. Zaman, a hard-hitting opener, has been a key player for Pakistan in recent years.In addition to the Pakistani trio, the Falcons have also signed Australia offspinner Chris Green and Afghanistan allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai. Green is a T20 specialist with over 200 wickets in the format, while Omarzai is a rising star who has impressed in international cricket.The Falcons have also added West Indies' Brandon King and Fabian Allen to their squad. King is a destructive batter who has scored over 2,000 runs in T20 cricket, while Allen is a versatile allrounder who can contribute with both bat and ball.Rounding out the Falcons' signings so far is 17-year-old batter Jewel Andrew, who played in the Under-19 World Cup for West Indies earlier this year.The Falcons will need to sign five more players at the draft in July to complete their squad. Other big signings for CPL 2024 so far include Tim David and Jason Roy (Trinbago Knight Riders), Heinrich Klaasen (St Lucia Kings), and Wanindu Hasaranga and Tristan Stubbs (St Kitts and Nevis Patriots).The Antigua & Barbuda Falcons replace Jamaica Tallawahs at the CPL. Antigua previously hosted a CPL franchise named Antigua Hawksbills in the first two CPL seasons, but that was replaced by St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in 2015.The 2024 edition of the CPL will take place from August 28 to October 6 with games taking place in Antigua for the first time in ten years. Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad & Tobago are the other venues. The National Stadium in Providence, Guyana, will host the final.