The St Kitts & Nevis Patriots have announced the Caribbean players they will be retaining for the 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League. International retentions and signings will be announced at a later date, according to CPL.
This year teams can retain as many players from their 2019 squads as they wish. They could also transfer players to other teams and sign emerging players.
The Patriots have chosen to retain or sign seven Caribbean players ahead of the CPL draft, including signing Denesh Ramdin from the Trinbago Knight Riders:
Evin Lewis (Trinidad & Tobago)
Fabian Allen (Jamaica)
Sheldon Cottrell (Jamaica)
Denesh Ramdin (Trinidad & Tobago)+
Rayad Emrit (Trinidad & Tobago)
Alzarri Joseph (Leeward Islands)
Dominic Drakes (Barbados)*
+ Transfer from Trinbago Knight Riders
* Emerging player
The Patriots have also announced that it will be Rayad Emrit who will captain the team and Australian Simon Helmot will be the Head Coach for the 2020 season.
Speaking on his appointment as captain, Emrit said: “I am very excited to be part of the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots for a second season. I think that the team that is selected this year is going to be a very exciting one. I am very excited to be named as captain. It’s always an honour and a privilege to lead a franchise. Our new coach, Simon Helmot, knows the CPL and he knows how to win titles. He and I are going to work very hard to get the team to the finals.”
The CPL is scheduled to take place between 19 August and 26 September but the tournament organisers are currently watching the current situation with COVID-19 closely and are liaising with medical advisors and governments. A decision on whether the tournament can proceed as planned, or at a different time, will be made as soon as possible.
