Rovman Powell's Barbados Royals, alongside the defending champions Guyana Amazon Warriors, maintain their unbeaten status in CPL 2024. They are geared up as they head into their home leg against Antigua and Barbuda Falcons on September 11. The return of South African players David Miller and Keshav Maharaj, along with the recovery of batter Alick Athanaze from a finger injury, indicates a strengthened squad.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan allrounder Dunith Wellalage departs as the South African duo settle back into the team. Shamarh Brooks continues to stay as cover, originally filling in for Miller. With full overseas player availability, head coach Trevor Penney anticipates a tough selection process ahead of their upcoming match.Royals have showcased contrasting victories in different conditions in CPL 2024 so far. As they practice on a rain-affected Bridgetown pitch, captain Powell remains positive about the playing conditions.
The return of all overseas players brings depth and experience to the squad, with hopes of leveraging their franchise T20 expertise. The spin duo of Maharaj and mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana is set to play pivotal roles with the slowing pitches in the region. Powell emphasizes the significance of quality spinners in the Caribbean and highlights the team's strong bowling department as a key asset.In other CPL updates, USA vice-captain Aaron Jones opts to remain with St Lucia Kings for the tournament, prioritizing CPL over international commitments.
South Africa-born Andries Gous is set to depart from the Trinbago Knight Riders to join the ICC CWC League ODI series in Namibia. Additionally, Falcons bolster their squad with the inclusion of allrounder Hassan Khan, replacing Fakhar Zaman, who heads back to Pakistan for domestic commitments.These developments set the stage for an intriguing phase of the CPL season, with teams making strategic adjustments to optimize their performance on the field.