By Avenash Ramzan
The highly-anticipated Player Draft for the Hero Caribbean Premier League 2022 will be held in early July.
That’s according to Chief Executive Officer, Pete Russell.
In an exclusive interview with News Room Sport, Russell announced the specific date for the Draft and gave a brief update on general preparation for the one-month tournament.
“The Player Draft will be announced on the 7th of July, so we will get to see who will be playing where. There will be some great names added to the rosters for sure, so from a players’ side that’s all going really well,” Russell said.
“As you know we have four host countries this year- St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Guyana- so that’s all very much on track. The Finals is obviously going to be the key marquee event and I know there are a lot of people working really hard in Guyana to make sure that there is plenty going on, both in and around the games.”
Russell is also expected in Guyana shortly to engage stakeholders here as the country prepares to host the CPL Finals (semi-finals and final) for the first time.
According to the CEO, planning is “very good” two months out from the official bowl-off on August 30.
“Lots of the planning is really focused around the entertainment piece. The President (Dr. Irfaan Ali) has very much made it his remit to make sure that the two weeks in and around CPL (in Guyana) is very much Cricket Carnival,” Russell indicated.
“I’m down there in a couple of weeks to ensure we’re doing our bit from our side and everything is on track.”
Cricket Carnival
President Ali announced in late March that Guyana had entered into a three-year agreement with CPL to host the Finals for the next three years, 2022-2024.
The 11 games in Guyana will coincide with a two-week Cricket Carnival under the ‘One Guyana’ banner.
“It is a fusion of the rich, vibrant Caribbean culture with the smoothness and suave of the South American culture, both enjoyed here in destination Guyana,” President Ali said at the launch.
He assured that not only would there be the best of cricket, but the best of culture celebrated during that period.
The Head of State noted too that while the Cricket Carnival will be a product set apart from any other, its primary aim is bringing the region together.
He said, “We want the entire region to be prosperous, and we are building something here to bring the region together. So, what you will see is a plan that will bring the best carnival bands in the region on the shores of Guyana in a clash of the Carnival champions from Miami, Trinidad, Jamaica, Barbados, Brazil, Guyana. We will bring them together on the shores of Guyana in the grand event in the region, the Cricket Carnival 2022.”
The inaugural Cricket Carnival will feature a regional food festival, a regional as well as an international concert and a Guyana Night, among many other exciting events, in addition to the highly anticipated cricket matches.
Spectators were also promised excitement in the stands come September.
“The stands will be colourful. The stands will be energetic. The stands will be filled with life because that is what the Caribbean is about- people who enjoy life, people who are filled with life.”
He also announced that the Ministry of Tourism is also working on launching a special CPL Cricket Carnival Cruise to Guyana to help people who might have problems getting flights to the two-week of activities.
This impressive line-up of events planned, he added, will be “world-class” and will demonstrate that Guyana is “not playing third place or second place, we are playing among the best with the best, for the best.”
“That is the new culture. We are developing a willing, winning culture with great humility; with the greatest of humanity we want to play where the best play. So, CPL would not be played louder in September here. It will be played at the loudest in Guyana.”
The window for Hero CPL 2022 is August 30 to September 30.
