ECB Looks at Bringing Back Global T20 Club Tournament

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is thinking about starting a new World Club Championship for T20 cricket. It’s been over ten years since the last Champions League T20 (CLT20) was held. The CLT20 ran from 2009 to 2014. Its final match was in Bengaluru in 2014, where Chennai Super Kings beat Kolkata Knight Riders. The tournament stopped because not enough people were interested, and it didn’t make enough money.

Since then, many countries have started their own T20 leagues. England has The Hundred, South Africa has the SA20, the UAE has the ILT20, and the United States has the MLC. In other sports, too, club tournaments are growing. Football’s FIFA Club World Cup is getting a new format, and rugby is planning its own Club World Cup. ECB chief executive Richard Gould said they’re very interested in creating a tournament like the old CLT20.

🚨 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 🚨

- CLT20 is set to return as the World Club Championship in 2026. 🤯

- ECB and ICC Chairman Jay Shah and BCCI are actively working on the idea. [𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐠]

MASSIVE GOOD NEWS FOR CRICKET LOVERS..! 😍 pic.twitter.com/NSpEWVhI39

— Pratyush Halder (@pratyush_no7) July 1, 2025

“That is on the cards,” Gould told ESPNcricinfo. “Without doubt, at some point, there will be a World Club Championship for both men and women. That’s the next logical step.” Gould also said the old CLT20 was a good idea but came too early. “That tournament was ahead of its time,” he said. “Commercially, it couldn’t keep up with expectations, but it was a really good event.”

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For this new World Club Championship to work, most of the IPL teams would need to support it. Many IPL owners already have teams in other countries. IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal has said that the BCCI might support the idea if it can bring real value to the game.

The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025, from August 14 to September 21, 2025, will have 34 T20 games in six Caribbean countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago. Six teams will play a double round-robin, with the top four qualifying for the playoffs, which will end with the final at Providence Stadium, Guyana.

This 13th edition will have electrifying cricket, with Saint Lucia Kings set to defend the 2024 title against competitive teams such as Trinbago Knight Riders and Guyana Amazon Warriors. The tournament will be a combination of Caribbean flavor and international T20 stars and will pull the fans to prestigious sites like Kensington Oval and Queen's Park Oval. 

Live Streaming/Broadcast Overview

• India: Star Sports Network (starsports.com) for TV; FanCode (fancode.com) for streaming at 4:30 AM, 5:30 AM, or 7:30 PM IST.
• Caribbean: SportsMax (sportsmax.tv) in the West Indies; TV6 (ccntv6.com) in Trinidad and Tobago through the CCN TV6 app; GBN in Grenada.
• UK: TNT Sports (tntsports.co.uk) for live coverage.
• USA and Canada: Willow TV (willow.tv) for TV and streaming.
• South Africa: SuperSport (supersport.com) for live coverage.
• MENA: Cricbuzz (cricbuzz.com) to stream.
• Rest of the World: Free streaming on CPL's official YouTube (youtube.com/@OfficialCPLT20) and Facebook (facebook.com/CPLT20) channels.

Also Read: Anushka Sharma’s emotional post on Virat Kohli's Test retirement

Teams and Key Players

• Saint Lucia Kings: Defending champions, captained by Faf du Plessis, and Alzarri Joseph and Roston Chase.
• Antigua & Barbuda Falcons: Skippered by Imad Wasim, with Brandon King and Mohammad Amir.
• Barbados Royals: Captained by Rovman Powell, with Quinton de Kock and Jason Holder.
• Guyana Amazon Warriors: With Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope.
• St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots: Features Kyle Mayers and Evin Lewis.
• Trinbago Knight Riders: Captained by Kieron Pollard, with Nicholas Pooran and Sunil Narine.

Squads will be confirmed post the July 2025 player draft, with each team allowed four overseas players and one emerging player.

The 13th season of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will light up the West Indies between August 14 and September 21, 2025, with high-voltage T20 cricket in six Caribbean islands: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago. The Saint Lucia Kings, title defenders following their 2024 victory, will encounter tough rivalry from five other teams in a 34-game tournament that culminates with the final at Providence Stadium, Guyana.

Tournament Structure and Calendar

The CPL 2025 operates a double round-robin schedule involving six teams—Antigua & Barbuda Falcons, Barbados Royals, Guyana Amazon Warriors, St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots, Saint Lucia Kings, and Trinbago Knight Riders—each competing in 10 league games. The top four qualify for the playoffs, which include an eliminator, qualifiers, and the final. The complete schedule, released on March 24, 2025, consists of matches at seven grounds, with Trinidad and Tobago hosting at two grounds. The tournament begins with Antigua & Barbuda Falcons vs. St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Squads and Key Players

Squads will be settled after the July 2025 player draft and pre-draft signings. Anticipate retained stars such as Saint Lucia Kings' Faf du Plessis and Alzarri Joseph, Guyana Amazon Warriors' Shimron Hetmyer, and Trinbago Knight Riders' Nicholas Pooran. New faces and international T20 specialists will arrive, with each team having a maximum of four overseas players and one emerging player in at least five games.

Also Read: List of matches Virat Kohli will play till ODI World Cup 2027

Venues and Fixtures

Matches will be staged at legendary grounds such as Kensington Oval (Barbados), Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium (Saint Lucia), and Queen's Park Oval (Trinidad). 

Guyana Amazon Warriors' skipper and former Protea spinner Imran Tahir expresses his outrage over non-payment of dues for his stint with Rangpur Riders in last year's Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) season. As his side looked to lock horns with the Bangladeshi franchise in the ongoing Global Super League tournament, his eye-opening remarks have highlighted a grave issue within the Bangladesh domestic cricket structure. 

Speaking at the toss, Tahir was visibly frustrated with Rangpur Riders on this issue which in turn fueled his desire to outperform his former franchise in the 8th encounter of the Global Super League. 

See also: ICC approves PCB's request for a hybrid model for all their future games till 2027

Tahir's comments at the toss

At the time of winning the toss, Tahir's comments seemed to be very modest at first. Like most captains, Tahir backed his side and wanted them to put on a good show. 

He seemed to be in good spirits before unleashing a bombshell on his opposition Rangpur Riders, which now happens to be one of the former franchises he represented last year. 

"We want to win every game; that's what we're here for. I am personally motivated to win this match for Guyana because last year I played for Rangpur in the BPL. I still haven't received my full payment from them, which makes me even more eager to perform against them."

The Demerara Bank Coin Toss goes the way of the Rangpur Riders and they have decided to bat first tonight! 🇬🇾 vs 🇧🇩 #GSLT20 #GAWvRR #GlobalSuperLeague pic.twitter.com/4vzXbmIoHz

— Global Super League (@gslt20) December 4, 2024

Tahir does not end there. He goes a step further to intensify his attack on the Rangpur Riders franchise. He wanted to highlight Guyana's welcoming culture which stands in sharp contrast with the outlook and the mindset of his former franchise. 

"We want to show them that Guyana welcomes them. They bring their local players here, earn some money, play good and we’ll show them that we’re better humans than them." 

Warriors fell short in a low-scoring thriller

Despite the bold comments from the Guyana Warriors skipper, the Warrior nation fell short by 15 runs. Pretorious, Tanzim, and Tahir starred with the ball picking up seven wickets but a fighting knock of 58 from Khushdil dragged the Riders to a face-saving total of 117. 

The Warriors batters failed to apply themselves in the run chase as Kamrul and Harmeet shared seven wickets between them to sink Guyana Warriors for 102. The Nurul Hasan-led Rangpur Riders have stormed their way to the final and will face Victoria at the Providence Stadium on December 6.

Guyana Amazon Warriors are in really good form again and they look very commanding. They won the last season and look set for a double with the way they are going about their business.  On the other side though, St Lucia Kings are looking pretty solid as well. Both sides come in after a loss in their last league games but that could leave them more menacing considering they both will be eager to step up when the big games come in.

GAW vs SLK Match Details

Date: October 3rd, 2024

Time:  4:30 PM IST

Venue: Providence, Guyana

GAW vs SLK Weather Report

Clear weather and a nice morning is expected for the game.

GAW vs SLK Pitch Report

Guyana is a touch low scoring with a bit of slowness in the pitch. Batting first will be a better option with the pitch getting tougher to bat on as the game goes on.

GAW vs SLK Predicted Playing XI

GAW Playing XI

Azam Khan, Tim Robinson, Shai Hope, Moeen Ali, Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul, Raymon Reifer, Dwaine Pretorius, Gudakesh Motie, Kevin Sinclair, Shamar Joseph

SLK Playing XI

Faf Du Plessis, Johnson Charles, Ackeem Auguste, Roston Chase, Tim Seifert, David Wiese, Aaron Jones, Khary Pierre, Noor Ahmed, Mikkel Govia, Alzarri Joseph

GAW vs SLK Key Players

Alzarri Joseph

Alzarri Joseph has been in pretty good form this season. His pace is up where it needs to be and his new-ball wickets have helped St Lucia a lot as he rocks sides early in the powerplay.

Shimron Hetmyer

Shimron Hetmyer has been hitting the ball pretty well this season. With added strength in the middle-order he will have a little more cushion and hence a greater license to free his arms and ensure he goes big and hard.

See Also: T20 World Cup 2024: Top 5 captains of the tournament

GAW vs SLK Match Tips

Guyana Amazon Warriors are favorites given their recent form and performances at home.

Match Prediction: Guyana Amazon Warriors Will Win the Match

Guyana Amazon Warriors are getting back on track and with Imran Tahir back they are looking pretty good as a unit. Barbados Royals did get off to a promising start but are now not going so well with two defeats in a row on turning tracks.

GAW vs BR Match Details

Date: September 25th, 2024

Time:  4:30 PM IST

Venue: Providence, Guyana

GAW vs BR Weather Report

Clear weather and a nice morning is expected for the game.

GAW vs BR Pitch Report

Guyana is a touch low scoring with a bit of slowness in the pitch. Batting first will be a better option with the pitch getting tougher to bat on as the game goes on.

GAW vs BR Predicted Playing XI

GAW Playing XI

Azam Khan, Tim Robinson, Shai Hope, Moeen Ali, Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul, Raymon Reifer, Dwaine Pretorious, Gudakesh Motie, Kevin Sinclair, Shamar Joseph

BR Playing XI

Quinton De Kock, Kadeem Alleyne, Alick Athanaze, Rovman Powell, David Miller, Jason Holder, Rahkeem Cornwall, Nyeem Young, Naveen Ul Haq, Maheesh Theekshana, Obed McCoy

GAW vs BR Key Players

Quinton De Kock

The South African opener is having a good time in the Caribbean. He is batting really well at the top and continues to step up on his six-hitting game.

Shimron Hetmyer

Shimron Hetmyer has been hitting the ball pretty well this season. With added strength in the middle-order he will have a little more cushion and hence a greater license to free his arms and ensure he goes big and hard.

See Also: T20 World Cup 2024: Top 5 captains of the tournament

GAW vs BR Match Tips

Guyana Amazon Warriors are favorites given their recent form and performances at home.

Match Prediction: Guyana Amazon Warriors Will Win the Match

The Trinbago Knight Riders are facing some issues with consistency. They look exceptional once and are quick to fall back down the next game. They have the experience though and with age factor a point for them they will have to accept a few bad games. However, that experience aspect will truly be crucial for them if they get through to the playoffs given their strength.

TKR vs STKNP Match Details

Date: September 22nd, 2024

Time:  4:30 PM IST

Venue: Tarouba, Trinidad

TKR vs STKNP Weather Report

Clear weather and a nice morning is expected for the game.

TKR vs STKNP Pitch Report

A good batting track with short boundaries will make it likely for a high-scoring fixture.

TKR vs STKNP Predicted Playing XI

TKR Playing XI

Shaqkere Parris, Sunil Narine, Nicholas Pooran, Keacy Carty, Tim David, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Akeal Hossein, Chris Jordan, Josh Little, Waqar Salamkheil

STKNP Playing XI

Evin Lewis, Andre Fletcher, Kyle Mayers, Rilee Roussow, Josh Clarkson, Mikyle Louis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Veerasammy Permaul, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Johann Layne

TKR vs STKNP Key Players

Kyle Mayers

Kyle Mayers has been dealing in sixers so far. He is in really good form, topping his cameos with an incredible and explosive innings in the previous encounter.

Tim David

Tim David is rolling in the CPL. His aggressive batting down the order adds a lot of value to a side filled with six hitters. With Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell and Nicholas Pooran beside him, David has all the more license to tee off with happiness.

See Also: T20 World Cup 2024: Top 5 captains of the tournament

TKR vs STKNP Match Tips

Despite the lack of consistency, Trinbago will start favorites.

Match Prediction: Trinbago Knight Riders Will Win the Match

Antigua and Barbuda Falcons have a win after a lot of controversy. They are still in contention though at the end but will have to break past a lot of distractions as they look to move forward. Guyana Amazon Warriors will be all the more pleased coming into this game. Their bowling unit is doing a really good job and their spinners are having a good time on slowish tracks at home in Guyana.

GAW vs ABF Match Details

Date: September 21st, 2024

Time:  4:30 PM IST

Venue: Providence, Guyana

GAW vs ABF Weather Report

Clear weather and a nice morning is expected for the game.

GAW vs ABF Pitch Report

Guyana is a touch low scoring with a bit of slowness in the pitch. Batting first will be a better option with the pitch getting tougher to bat on as the game goes on.

GAW vs ABF Predicted Playing XI

GAW Playing XI

Azam Khan, Tim Robinson, Shai Hope, Moeen Ali, Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul, Raymon Reifer, Dwaine Pretorious, Gudakesh Motie, Kevin Sinclair, Shamar Joseph

ABF Playing XI

Brandon King, Justin Greaves, Kofi James, Imad Wasim, Fabien Allen, Hassan Khan, Mohammad Amir, Jahmar Hamilton, Chris Green, Joshua James, Shamar Springer

GAW vs ABF Key Players

Imad Wasim

Imad Wasim was pretty good in the previous game making it through the controversy and keeping his side in the hunt. He still has a lot to watch out for with a lot of eyes likely to be on him for the upcoming game.

Shimron Hetmyer

Shimron Hetmyer has been hitting the ball pretty well this season. With added strength in the middle-order he will have a little more cushion and hence a greater license to free his arms and ensure he goes big and hard.

See Also: T20 World Cup 2024: Top 5 captains of the tournament

GAW vs ABF Match Tips

Guyana Amazon Warriors are favorites given their recent form and performances at home.

Match Prediction: Guyana Amazon Warriors Will Win the Match

Both the St Lucia Kings and Barbados Royals are pretty consistent so far. They meet on neutral ground in a place which is known to be on the slower side. Variety with the ball is a trait on both ends and it will be interesting to see how both sides go about a slowish surface.

SLK vs BR Match Details

Date: September 22nd, 2024

Time:  7:30 PM IST

Venue: Providence, Guyana

SLK vs BR Weather Report

Clear weather and a nice morning is expected for the game.

SLK vs BR Pitch Report

A good batting track with short boundaries will make it likely for a high-scoring fixture.

SLK vs BR Predicted Playing XI

SLK Playing XI

Johnson Charles, Faf Du Plessis, Ackeem Auguste, Bhanuka Rajapaksha, Roston Chase, Tim Seifert, David Wiese, Mikkel Govia, Matthew Forde, Noor Ahmed, Alzarri Joseph

BR Playing XI

Quinton De Kock, Kadeem Alleyne, Alick Athanaze, Rovman Powell, David Miller, Jason Holder, Rahkeem Cornwall, Nyeem Young, Naveen Ul Haq, Maheesh Theekshana, Obed McCoy

SLK vs BR Key Players

Quinton De Kock

The South African opener is having a good time in the Caribbean. He is batting really well at the top and continues to step up on his six-hitting game.

Faf Du Plessis

Du Plessis is getting good starts so far. He hasn't converted though but looks pretty good so far and will be a key player.

See Also: T20 World Cup 2024: Top 5 captains of the tournament

SLK vs BR Match Tips

St Lucia Kings will be feeling really good and confident after a commanding win in the previous game.

Match Prediction: St Lucia Kings Will Win the Match

Trinidad has another win under their belt and are going very well. Tim David has joined the party while Dwayne Bravo and Andre Russell are back too. The star so far though has been Sunil Narine, who has been unplayable with the ball. Antigua has a challenge on hand with only four points after eight games. They are struggling to get going and will be looking for something drastic to happen.

TKR vs ABF Match Details

Date: September 20th, 2024

Time:  4:30 PM IST

Venue: Port of Spain, Trinidad

TKR vs ABF Weather Report

Clear weather and a nice morning is expected for the game.

TKR vs ABF Pitch Report

Trinidad tends to be good for batters while offering good bounce as well early on. Batting second could be a better option with the pitch staying similar through the game.

TKR vs ABF Predicted Playing XI

TKR Playing XI

Shaqkere Parris, Sunil Narine, Keacy Carty, Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, Tim David, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Akeal Hossein, Terrance Hinds, Waqar Salamkheil

ABF Playing XI

Justin Greaves, Kofi James, Sam Billings, Jahmar Hamilton, Imad Wasim, Shamar Springer, Chris Green, Fabian Allen, Mohammad Amir, Roshan Primus, Kelvin Pitman

TKR vs ABF Key Players

Chris Green

Chris Green has been leading from the front with little support. He took four wickets and played a crucial knock down the order, in a losing cause. He is in good touch but will be looking for some help from his teammates with the tournament winding down fast for them.

Sunil Narine 

Sunil Narine has not yet taken off properly as an opener in the CPL yet. His bowling returns are remarkable thus far but with the baat, the explosiveness seen in the IPL is yet to come in to play as Sunil Narine struggles to cope with the pace early on with tracks having some bite in them.

See Also: T20 World Cup 2024: Top 5 captains of the tournament

TKR vs ABF Match Tips

Trinbago Knight Riders are easy favorites coming in at home and off a good set of wins.

Match Prediction: Trinbago Knight Riders Will Win the Match