Barbados Royals have signed up South African heavyweights Quinton de Kock and David Miller for the upcoming season of the CPL.
It will be de Kock's maiden appearance at the CPL, while for Miller, Royals will be his third franchise in the competition after stints with Jamaica Tallawahs and St Lucia Kings [earlier St Lucia Zouks]. Royals also have in their line-up Mujeeb Ur Rahman, the Afghanistan spinner who has previously played with Jamaica Tallawahs, as well as Pakistani batter Azam Khan and South African allrounder Corbin Bosch. They still have five more spots to fill at the players' draft tomorrow.
Tallawahs, meanwhile, have roped in Mohammad Amir for the upcoming season. The Pakistan fast bowler had turned out for Royals last year, when he claimed 11 wickets at an average of 13.54. Sandeep Lamichhane, Imad Wasim, Chris Green and Migael Pretorius are the other four overseas signings by Tallawahs. All four players have represented the franchise in earlier editions.
Guyana Amazon Warriors have added a rich South African flavour to their set-up. They have signed up Imran Tahir, the leading bowler for the franchise with 60 wickets from 43 outings for a fifth successive season. Additionally, they have also included wristspinner Tabraiz Shamsi, batter Colin Ingram and wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen for the upcoming season alongside Paul Stirling, the Ireland opener.
St Lucia Kings have brought on board New Zealand's Scott Kuggeleijn after releasing him last year. Kings are now left with just one more overseas spot left to fill, with last year's captain Faf du Plessis, Tim David and David Wiese in their ranks as well.
Kuggeleijn, who played for Kings in 2020, was the leading wicket-taker that season. He was, however, released by the franchise last season along with the Afghanistan pair of Mohammad Nabi and Najibullah Zadran.
Kings' other big acquisition is Johnson Charles, who had represented Barbados Royals in 2021, scoring 216 runs in ten games at a strike rate of 122. Charles came on board as a pre-draft signing.
Among players from the islands, Roston Chase, Kesrick Williams, Alzarri Joseph, Mark Deyal and Jeavor Royal have been retained by the franchise. Kings have seven spots left to fill now, including the one for an overseas player, and those are expected to be announced soon.
The notable omissions from last year's squad are Rahkeem Cornwall, who was recently dropped from the list of CWI's centrally contracted players, Wahab Riaz, Andre Fletcher - who has been signed by St Kitts & Nevis Patriots - and Keemo Paul, who has returned to Guyana Amazon Warriors.
Kings finished runners-up, losing to Patriots in the final, last season. That made it back-to-back final appearances for them - they had lost to Trinbago Knight Riders in 2020 - after failing to make the title round in the first seven editions of the tournament.