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CPL TEAMS CONFIRM THEIR BREAKOUT PLAYER RETENTIONS



Ahead of the highly anticipated Caribbean Premier League Draft, all six franchises have confirmed their mandatory pre-draft Breakout Player retentions, locking in a group of emerging Caribbean stars who represent the next generation of regional cricket excellence.


Under the CPL’s player draft and acquisition regulations for the 2026 season, each franchise was permitted to retain one player ahead of the draft, with that player required to be selected from the team’s Breakout Player category. The retained players - Joshua James, Ramon Simmonds, Quentin Sampson, Navin Bidaisee, Ackeem Auguste, and Nathan Edward - have each earned recognition for their performances, potential, and growing impact across Caribbean cricket.


The six retained Breakout Players are:


Antigua & Barbuda Falcons – Joshua James


Barbados Royals – Ramon Simmonds


Guyana Amazon Warriors – Quentin Sampson


St Kitts & Nevis Patriots – Navin Bidaisee


Saint Lucia Kings – Ackeem Auguste


Trinbago Knight Riders – Nathan Edward


Each franchise will name a total of three Breakout Players in their final squad for the 2026 season, reinforcing the CPL’s continued commitment to developing emerging Caribbean talent and providing young players with opportunities on the region’s biggest cricketing stage.


As part of the tournament regulations, every team will also be required to field at least one Breakout Player in every match throughout the season.


With only one pre-draft retention allowed - and that retention reserved exclusively for a Breakout Player - the remaining squad positions for all six teams will now be filled during the CPL Draft, setting the stage for one of the most competitive and exciting player selections in league history.


The Caribbean Premier League continues to serve as the premier platform for Caribbean cricket, combining elite entertainment with a proven pathway for the next generation of players to develop and succeed on the global stage.





Caribbean Premier League Newsroom
ABOUT THE CARIBBEAN PREMIER LEAGUE

First started in 2013, the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is a franchise-based T20 format cricket tournament that combines two of the most compelling aspects of Caribbean life – dramatic cricket and a vibrant Carnival atmosphere. The broadcast and digital viewership in 2025 was 1.17 billion to make it one of the most watched leagues in world cricket. Trinbago Knight Riders are the current Republic Bank CPL champions, and the other franchise teams are Antigua & Barbuda Falcons, Barbados Royals, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Jamaica Kingsmen, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots and Saint Lucia Kings.

The 2026 tournament will take place from 7 August to 20 September.

North Soesdyke cart off Big Birds & Sons/IIS 10-10 trophy & $500,000
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North Soesdyke carted off the Indian Arrival Day Big Birds & Sons/ISS 10-10 trophy and $500,000 after beating ISS/Masters under the Duct-Worth Lewis System on Tuesday at Jagmohan ground, Essequibo Coast, Region 2 (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

North Soesdyke chasing 105 for victory from the allotment of 10-overs, were 66-0 in the 4th over when rained intervened and ultimately halted proceedings.

West Indies T20 batter Christopher Barnwell was on a pugnacious 45 with Andrew Lyght Jr scoring 15 not out.

Medium-pacer Siddiq Mohamed was North Soesdyke’s most successful bowler with 4-9 from his maximum two overs while former Guyana youth player and pacer Ucil Armstrong supported him with 2-12 (02).

North Soesdyke had won the toss but decided to bowl first as ISS/Masters were limited to 104-8 from their 10-overs.

Mohamed was named player-of-the-match for his fine, bowling performance. He also took home a trophy for being the best-bowler while the right-handed batter Barnwell collected the best-batsman trophy. They both pocketed $15,000 each for their effort.

The winning team received a trophy with the monetary prize while the runners-up side collected a trophy and $300,000.
The two other participating teams were: Essequibo Under-19 side and Pomeroon Masters.

Photo Caption: The Champion team North Soesdyke celebrate their win

-Best Bowler and man of the match Siddiq Mohamed receives his prizes