St Lucia Kings, the reigning champions of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), have picked up IPL 2025 winner Tim David as their first-round draft choice for the upcoming season. However, the team will miss the leadership of Faf du Plessis, who has opted to focus on the Hundred instead of participating in the CPL this year.
Southern Brave are looking to welcome du Plessis as part of the IPL franchise they co-own, Delhi Capitals, having signed him back in November. On the other hand, Moeen Ali, who retired from international cricket in September last year, will be forgoing the Hundred to rejoin Guyana Amazon Warriors. Ali was drafted as a seventh-round pick by the Warriors, while veteran spinner Imran Tahir, 46, was retained as their top selection.
The Trinbago Knight Riders, four-time CPL champions, have added Pakistani players Mohammad Amir and Usman Tariq to their squad. Tariq, an offspinner, will make his CPL debut following his performances with the Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League. For Amir, this is a return to familiar territory, having previously played for Jamaica Tallawahs and Antigua and Barbuda Falcons in the CPL.
The Falcons have secured Imad Wasim as their first pick, with Shakib Al Hasan, who set a CPL record in 2013, coming in as the second pick. Although star spinner Rashid Khan will again miss out on the CPL, Afghanistan’s presence remains strong. Mystery spinner AM Ghazanfar, recently signed by Mumbai Indians and currently impressing with Derbyshire in the T20 Blast, will join Naveen-ul-Haq at Falcons.
Another notable move is Waqar Salamkheil, a left-arm wristspinner transitioning from Trinbago Knight Riders to St Kitts & Nevis Patriots. Meanwhile, Mujeeb Ur Rahman returns to the Barbados Royals, where his previous stint saw him net ten wickets at an impressive economic rate during CPL 2022. Seam-bowling all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai also bolsters the Royals’ lineup.
Bevon Jacobs, the New Zealand batter known for his power hitting, has been picked by Falcons for his first CPL experience after previous tournaments with Mumbai Indians and MI Emirates. Glenn Phillips, who built his franchise cricket reputation in the CPL, will join the Amazon Warriors. Wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert stays with Kings, while Colin Munro makes a return to Knight Riders.
Imran Tahir, 46, remains a key figure for the Amazon Warriors. Munro, their eighth-round choice, holds the record as the top run-getter for TKR with 2178 runs in 72 innings, maintaining a strike rate of 129.56. Although Munro, 38, has finished his international career, he’s still active on the franchise circuit worldwide. Darren Bravo, the second-highest scorer for TKR, re-signs with the franchise and will be reuniting with his brother Dwayne Bravo, who will step into the role of head coach.
As anticipated, the Knight Riders have retained their core players, including Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Nicholas Pooran, and Andre Russell. All-rounder Matthew Forde, recently matching AB de Villiers’ record for the fastest ODI fifty, remains a key part of Kings, alongside fast bowler Shamar Joseph.
