Cricket

Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR), the most successful team in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), have bolstered their squad for the 2024 season with the signings of Tim David and Jason Roy. The duo joins a core of experienced West Indies stars, including Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran, and Dwayne Bravo.David, a powerful hitter, has previous CPL experience with St Lucia Kings and Knight Riders. Roy, an explosive opener, will make his CPL debut with TKR. The team has also retained Akeal Hosein, the first spinner to take a five-wicket haul for West Indies in T20Is.Other key players retained by TKR include seamers Jayden Seales and Terrance Hinds, batters Mark Deyal and Keacy Carty, and overseas players Josh Little, Ali Khan, and Waqar Salamkheil. The squad currently stands at 15 members, with two more spots available in the draft in July.Last year, TKR reached the CPL final but fell short against Guyana Amazon Warriors. They will be eager to reclaim the title they last won in 2020. Their 2024 campaign begins on September 1 against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in Basseterre.With a formidable squad featuring a blend of experience and firepower, TKR will be among the favorites to lift the CPL trophy once again.

The Barbados Royals have bolstered their squad for the upcoming Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season by retaining Sri Lankan mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana, despite his absence from last year's tournament. Theekshana, 23, has yet to make his CPL debut, having been unable to secure a no-objection certificate from Sri Lanka Cricket two years ago and facing a schedule clash with the Asia Cup last year.Despite his unavailability, Theekshana's impressive record in T20 cricket, with 150 wickets in 145 matches at an economy rate of 6.68, has convinced the Royals to retain him for the 2024 edition. The Royals finished second from bottom in the 2023 CPL, winning only three of their ten matches. However, they have strengthened their squad significantly for this year's tournament, which runs from August 30 to October 7.The Royals have welcomed back key players Quinton de Kock and David Miller, who were absent last year. They have also added South African left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, who represented the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL earlier this year. West Indies T20 captain Rovman Powell provides further strength in the middle order, while Jason Holder offers all-round capabilities.Afghanistan fast bowler Naveen-ul-Haq is a new signing for the Royals, returning to the CPL for the first time in three years. He brings a wealth of experience, having taken 220 wickets in T20 cricket. The Royals have confirmed 14 players on their roster, leaving them with three spots to fill at the CPL draft in July.Other notable members of the squad include the highly-rated Alick Athanaze, the hard-hitting Rahkeem Cornwall, and slower-ball specialist Obed McCoy. With a strong mix of experience and emerging talent, the Barbados Royals will be aiming to improve on their disappointing performance last year and challenge for the CPL title in 2024.

St Lucia Kings, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) franchise, have bolstered their squad for the 2024 season with the signings of South African batter Heinrich Klaasen and Afghanistan wristspinner Noor Ahmad. The Kings have also retained key players from their 2023 campaign, including Faf du Plessis, David Wiese, and Bhanuka Rajapaksa.Klaasen, a dynamic wicketkeeper-batter, has been in exceptional form in T20 cricket since 2023. He was the second-highest run-getter in the inaugural SA20 league and impressed in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with 479 runs in 16 games. His strike rate in the format since 2023 is an impressive 176.80. This will be Klaasen's second stint in the CPL, having previously represented the Guyana Amazon Warriors in 2022.Noor Ahmad, a rising star in Afghanistan cricket, is known for his deceptive leg-spin bowling. He has represented his country in international T20 matches and has impressed with his ability to take wickets and restrict runs.The Kings have retained the core of their Caribbean players, including Johnson Charles, Alzarri Joseph, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, and Khary Pierre. Fast bowlers Shadrack Descarte and McKenny Clarke have also been retained.Faf du Plessis, who missed the majority of the 2023 season due to injury, will return to lead the Kings. The experienced South African batter is a key figure in the team's batting lineup.David Wiese, the Namibian all-rounder, has been a consistent performer for the Kings. He provides valuable contributions with both bat and ball.Bhanuka Rajapaksa, the Sri Lankan batter, is known for his explosive batting style. He has the ability to accelerate the scoring rate and hit big boundaries.The Kings have released Colin Munro, Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams, and Chris Sole. Munro was signed as du Plessis' replacement last year, but he failed to make a significant impact.The 2024 CPL season will run from August 30 to October 7. The Kings will open their campaign against the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots on September 1 in Basseterre.