The organizers of the Caribbean Premier League confirmed that the 2021 league would start on August 28 and end on September 19. This tournament will entirely take place at Warner Park in St. Kitts & Nevis. The measure to play all the 33 games in one venue aims at curbing the risk of the Covid-19 pandemic.
With the 2021 CPL set to start soon, you could be wondering how things turned out last year. If so, Pure win news provides everything you need to know about the 2021 CPL schedule, live match updates and more.
Nevertheless, the organizers still aim at over 500 million audiences; a number witnessed in the 2020 campaign. The tournament achieved a high audience despite holding the event in a bio-secure bubble after it resumed from the March Covid break.
To ensure players’ and officials’ safety while still delivering to sponsors and commercial partners, the operations team promised to work with the tournament’s medical advisors, the government, and local agencies.
While announcing the CPL 2021 venue, Pete Russell, the CPL’s COO, thanked the St. Kitts & Nevis government for agreeing to host the 2021 league. The tournament will only utilize 50% of Warner Park’s 8,000 seat capacity. Despite St. Kitts & Nevis having no Covid-19 transmissions, all fans must be vaccinated against the virus and have proof of the same.
He also thanked the Cricket West Indies for helping the organization despite having a busy summer cricket themselves. The West Indies national team will wrap up their home season in which they will host Pakistan, South Africa, and Australia before turning their attention to the CPL.
While confirming the organizer’s venue selection, Jonel Powell, St. Kitts Minister for Education, Youth, Sports, and Culture, acknowledged the significance of the event in the country. He said that the tournament would stimulate the country’s economy. This will be through trade from tourists with small and medium-sized businesses. While at it, he promised to maintain vigilance through the local authority.
The Caribbean Premier League 2021 venue has a history of iconic matches and will be ideal for the tournament. Some of these iconic moments include but are not limited to the 2019’s Chris Gayle’s unforgettable century against Jamaica Tallawahs and the 2016’ Andre Russell’s against the Trinbago Knight Riders.
The CPL 2021 season will be taking place in the foreground of the ICC T20 World Cup. This gives the tournament significance. West Indies and overseas players will use the opportunity to showcase their abilities and line themselves for international teams’ selections.
The other squads that will take part in this tournament are Trinbago Knight Riders, St. Lucia Zouks, Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Tallawahs, and St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots. The Riders come into this tournament as current CPL champions after easing past St. Lucia Zouks in the final to get their 4th title.
Whether the CPL venue will offer the Patriots some advantage is a question only time will answer. In this CPL season, the teams will be out to prove points and some to regain lost glory. For the Riders, having won the 2020 league unbeaten, they will want to prove that it wasn’t by sheer luck. For the Zouks, being the first-time finalist, they will want another shot at the finals to try and get it this time around.
For a team like Barbados Tridents, the 2019 CPL winners, they will be looking to restore their glory. As of May 20, Barbados had retained nine players for this CPL season. The team retained Johnson Charles (opening batsman), skipper Jason Holder, and Joshua Bishop. Other players retained are Hope, Raymon Reifer, Justin Greaves, Nyeem Young, and Kyle Mayers. Tridents mean business, and if you doubt, retaining Hayden Walsh Jr, the leg spinner who was the 2019 player of the tournament, should prove to you.
However, inasmuch as the Patriots underperformed last season, they shouldn’t be underestimated. The team acquired the services of Dwayne Bravo after the Riders traded the West Indies all-rounder. Bravo was the captain that steered the TKR to their 2015, 2017, and 2018 CPL championship victory.
While confirming Bravo’s departure, Venky Mysore—TKR Director, told the media that the former skipper was a part of the team that won the four titles. He added that DJ Bravo was not only a team member but a player that built the foundation of the victories. He wished him well even as he made the move.
