LONDON: This year’s Twenty20 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) will break new ground by staging matches in the United States for the first time, with several fixtures in Florida in July.

The games, starting with the night match between Guyana Amazon Warriors and the Barbados Tridents on Friday, July 28, will all take place at the Lauderhill Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

All six teams in the franchise competition will be on show at the 10,000 capacity stadium across four days of action from July 28 to 31.

As well as the likes of former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum, Australia’s Shane Watson and Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, all of whom have recently retired from international cricket, the competition will also feature South Africa’s A.B. de Villiers and Faf du Plessis.

Meanwhile there will be plenty of native Caribbean talent on show as well, including Darren Sammy — the captain of the West Indies side that reached Sunday’s World Twenty20 final against England in Kolkata and big-hitting team-mate Chris Gayle.

CPL chief executive Damien O’Donohoe, in a statement issued by the tournament’s Dublin-based spokesman, said: “We are delighted to announce fixture information of the ground-breaking Florida leg of CPL which represents an exciting new chapter for the tournament.

“Supporters will have the opportunity to see all six teams in action twice over four action-packed days which will showcase some of the best West Indies and international talent on display. “The statement was issued before the men’s World Twenty20 final on a Sunday when the West Indies beat Australia in the equivalent women’s match in Kolkata.

O’Donohoe added: “West Indies cricket is on a real high at the moment, with the success of the men’s, women’s and Under-19 World Cup winning squads generating a feel-good factor locally and internationally, and plans are well underway to deliver a top-class leg in the USA.”

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2016