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CPL adds six marquee players for 2016 season

by Sandeep Shivam Saturday 30 January 2016

The Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel were the winners of the 2015 CPL season.

©CPL

The organisers of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) have confirmed the addition of six marquee players to the player draft for the upcoming season of the Twenty20 competition.

Kumar Sangakkara, Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Shane Watson and Faf du Plessis are the five marquee players whose names have been revealed by the CPL management.

Sangakkara signed for the Jamaica Tallawahs in the 2013 season while Guptill has also been a part of the CPL between 2013 and 2015.

The identity of the sixth marquee player will be disclosed closer to the draft which will take place on 11th February in Barbados.

CPL chief executive officer Damien O’Donohoe is excited at the inclusion of players like McCullum and Sangakkara and has termed it a result of the “growing stature” of the league.

“We are hugely excited about the fourth season of CPL and we believe that this is our most exciting line up of talent to date.

“For players of the calibre and international standing of Faf du Plessis, Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Kumar Sangakkara and Shane Watson to commit to the CPL is a significant endorsement of the growing stature of the CPL internationally.

“We are excited about welcoming them, as well as a host of local and international talent, to the Caribbean once more.

“Plans are well underway for this year’s competition and I know that each of the players are enthusiastic about playing to the best of their abilities for the West Indies public and in representing their franchises with pride this summer.”

CPL director of international cricket Tom Moody also stated that the addition of the marquee players confirms the place of the CPL among the leading T20 leagues like the Indian Premier League and the Big Bash League.

“With the confirmation of these marquee players, the CPL is now truly established as one of the leading T20 leagues and compares favorably with the likes of the IPL and Big Bash League.

“We are entering into a fascinating year of T20 cricket, with a number of players in this year’s Draft set to feature for their countries in the forthcoming ICC World T20 in India, as well as in other leading domestic T20 competitions.

“With the West Indies currently sitting atop the World T20 team rankings, we believe that the top quality signings of iconic and hugely decorated marquee players demonstrate CPL’s intentions to captivate the attention of both the West Indies public and cricket followers globally.”

In the upcoming edition of the CPL, the squad size has been increased from 15 to 17 and each of the six teams must include one marquee player.

The teams also must sign five overseas players, a player each from the ICC Americas and the West Indies U-19 team and 10 West Indies qualified players.

The 2016 edition of the CPL will be played during a six-week period from the end of June till the first week of August.

The CPL organisers will reveal the full list of players participating in the draft on Tuesday.

Can't wait to play in the @CPL 2016. I am looking forward to #CPLDraft on 11 Feb to find out which team I will be playing for#Calypsofun
— Shane Watson (@ShaneRWatson33) January 29, 2016

Excited to be joining the @CPL this year..follow the draft to see which team I will be representing #CPL16
— Faf Du Plessis (@faf1307) January 29, 2016

Delighted to say I’ll play in @CPL 16 this summer. Find out what team I’ll play for on 11 Feb #CPLDraft
— Kumar Sangakkara (@KumarSanga2) January 29, 2016

YES, I'll be returning to the Caribbean to play in @CPL 16. #CPLDraft is happening on 11 Feb to find out my team
— Martin Guptill (@Martyguptill) January 29, 2016