West Indies T20 tournament set for April 27 – May 9

Cricket West Indies (CWI) is gearing up for the Regional T20 tournament, set to take place from April 27 to May 9, according to Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe.

In a recent appearance on the SportsMax Zone, Bascombe revealed that the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago is the likely venue for the event.

CWI is currently finalising key arrangements ahead of an official announcement, which is expected soon.

The tournament will see collaboration between the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) organisers and CWI, as both entities work diligently to ensure a successful launch.

“We are working feverishly, CWI and CPL together to get those details out… I don’t want to preempt that planned media release,” Bascombe commented.

“We are in the process of finalising team names and securing a number of protected players from each territory, so we are well underway to having everything we need for an official media launch.”

Bascombe also emphasised that while new franchises will be introduced, the CPL franchises will collaborate with territorial boards, which will retain control over the teams.

Sources indicate that the tournament will impose age restrictions and aim to spotlight emerging talent in the region. Six teams will compete in a full round-robin format, culminating in finals.

This initiative is crucial for identifying regional talent, especially since the privately run Caribbean Premier League, established in 2013, has not been the ideal platform for scouting a diverse range of grassroots players.