PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Test captain Jason Holder is among five West Indies players released by the West Indies Cricket Board to play in the initial phase of the Caribbean Premier League starting at month end.
The 24-year-old all-rounder is joined by Twenty20 World Cup hero Carlos Brathwaite, leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, Denesh Ramdin and left-hander Darren Bravo.
Holder, Brathwaite, Ramdin and Bravo are currently part of the one-day team in the ongoing Tri-Nations Series against Australia and South Africa, and will link up with their respective franchises at the conclusion of the tournament on June 26.
They will remain with their franchises until July 11 when they rejoin the West Indies Test squad for India’s four-Test tour of the Caribbean, which gets underway with the first Test on July 21.
“Our thanks to the West Indies Cricket Board, coach and chairman of Selection Committee for facilitating the release of the players for the opening weeks of the CPL,” CPL’s chief executive Damien O’Donohoe said.
“It’s a tremendous boost for the competition and I have no doubt that each of the players will be motivated to add great value to their squads.”
Holder, who campaigned recently in the Indian Premier League, will turn out for Barbados Tridents, while Brathwaite will play for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Bishoo for Guyana Amazon Warriors and Bravo for Trinbago Knight Riders.
Ramdin has been called up to replace the injured seamer Fidel Edwards who was expected to play for St Lucia Zouks, but suffered a broken ankle while playing for Hampshire in the English County Championship in April.
“All five players know what the passion and the excitement of CPL is all about and are box-office draws across each of the five teams. I know their fans will welcome the players with open arms once more,” O’Donohoe said.
“In welcoming Denesh to the Zouks, we would all like to wish Fidel a speedy recovery and we hope to see him back in action in the near future.”
The CPL runs from June 29 to August 7 and for the first time this year will see a leg played in Florida, United States.
