by Before a ball is bowled in CPL 2026, the squads tell a story. And after Friday, May 15 — the date of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) draft — all seven franchises have written the first chapter of their.
This was no ordinary draft. The addition of Jamaica Kingsmen as the seventh franchise made it the largest player selection in CPL history, with every team navigating retentions, Right to Match cards, and the mandatory breakout player picks that keep Caribbean cricket’s development pipeline moving.
List of Breakout and Retained Players of CPL 2026
Below is the complete List Of Breakout And Retained Players of CPL 2026, presented franchise by franchise.
CPL 2026 Draft Rules: The Short Version
Each franchise assembled its local squad within these boundaries:
- Up to 17 players per squad — nine senior West Indies cricketers, five overseas players, minimum three breakout players
- Right to Match (RTM): Re-sign a previously held player by matching any offer made in the open draft
- Retained players: Directly re-signed, bypassing the open draft entirely
- Breakout players: Mandatory selections from a designated pool of developing Caribbean cricketers
One rule worth noting — a player can appear in both the retained and breakout categories simultaneously, as seen with Navin Bidaisee (St Kitts) and Ackeem Auguste (Saint Lucia).
It signals double confidence from their respective franchises.
List Of Breakout And Retained Players of CPL 2026 — All Franchises
Antigua and Barbuda Falcons
The Falcons paired experienced names — Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Rahkeem Cornwall — with three RTM picks and a breakout trio that brings younger Caribbean energy into the mix.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Right to Match | Fabian Allen, Jayden Seales, Amir Jangoo |
| Retained | Joshua James |
| Breakout Players | Karima Gore, Anderson Mahase, Joshua James |
| Full Squad | Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Fabian Allen, Jayden Seales, Amir Jangoo, Shamar Springer, Jahmar Hamilton, Rahkeem Cornwall, Anderson Phillip, Karima Gore, Anderson Mahase, Joshua James |
Barbados Tridents
Five RTM picks are a strong statement of squad confidence. The Tridents held on to Brandon King, Kadeem Alleyne, Rivaldo Clarke, Johann Layne, and Kofi James, with the latter two doubling up in the breakout category. Gudakesh Motie and Sherfane Rutherford anchor the experience.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Right to Match | Brandon King, Kadeem Alleyne, Rivaldo Clarke, Johann Layne, Kofi James |
| Retained | Ramon Simmonds |
| Breakout Players | Jakeem Pollard, Johann Layne, Kofi James |
| Full Squad | Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Brandon King, Zachary Carter, Kadeem Alleyne, Ramon Simmonds, Shadrack Descarte, Rivaldo Clarke, Zishan Motara, Jakeem Pollard, Johann Layne, Kofi James |
Guyana Amazon Warriors
The Warriors kept their nucleus intact. Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, and Romario Shepherd were all RTM’d, ensuring the team’s batting and seam options remain settled. Veerasammy Permaul and Khary Pierre give them spin depth. The breakout picks — Mavendra Dindyal, Isai Thorne, Quentin Sampson — add younger legs to a squad that knows how to win.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Right to Match | Shimron Hetmyer, Romario Shepherd, Shai Hope, Shamar Joseph |
| Retained | Quentin Sampson |
| Breakout Players | Mavendra Dindyal, Isai Thorne, Quentin Sampson |
| Full Squad | Shimron Hetmyer, Romario Shepherd, Shai Hope, Khary Pierre, Shamar Joseph, Ronaldo Alimohamed, Veerasammy Permaul, Matthew Nandu, Jonathan Van Lange, Mavendra Dindyal, Isai Thorne, Quentin Sampson |
Jamaica Kingsmen
Starting from zero has its advantages — no legacy decisions, no difficult cuts. Jamaica Kingsmen used that freedom to build around two of the most destructive T20 players in world cricket: Andre Russell and Rovman Powell. Their sole RTM of Vitel Lawes and breakout trio of Kirk McKenzie, Kelvin Pitman, and Jeavor Royal round out a debut local squad that looks ready to compete immediately.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Right to Match | Vitel Lawes |
| Retained | None |
| Breakout Players | Kirk McKenzie, Kelvin Pitman, Jeavor Royal |
| Full Squad | Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Keemo Paul, Keacy Carty, Jediah Blades, Shaqkere Parris, Odean Smith, Vitel Lawes, Romaine Morris, Kirk McKenzie, Kelvin Pitman, Jeavor Royal |
St Kitts and Nevis Patriots
Jason Holder and Johnson Charles headline a Patriots squad that leaned heavily on RTMs to preserve continuity. Alick Athanaze and Kyle Mayers — two of the most in-form West Indies batters of recent seasons — were both retained via RTM. Navin Bidaisee appearing in both the retained and breakout lists, is the Patriots’ clearest signal about who their next-generation leader is.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Right to Match | Kyle Mayers, Andre Fletcher, Alick Athanaze, Mikyle Louis |
| Retained | Navin Bidaisee |
| Breakout Players | Micah McKenzie, Navin Bidaisee, Mikyle Louis |
| Full Squad | Johnson Charles, Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers, Andre Fletcher, Kevin Wickham, Obed McCoy, Ashmead Nedd, Jeremiah Louis, Alick Athanaze, Micah McKenzie, Navin Bidaisee, Mikyle Louis |
Saint Lucia Kings
Roston Chase is the anchor of Saint Lucia’s local core, joined by Matthew Forde and Keon Gaston via RTM. The Kings retained Ackeem Auguste and selected him as a breakout player — a dual classification that speaks to his promise. Amari Goodridge and Johann Jeremiah complete a breakout trio that could be one of the most exciting in the league this season.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Right to Match | Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Keon Gaston |
| Retained | Ackeem Auguste |
| Breakout Players | Amari Goodridge, Johann Jeremiah, Ackeem Auguste |
| Full Squad | Roston Chase, Jewel Andrew, Matthew Forde, Kamil Pooran, Darron Nedd, Mckenny Clarke, Joshua Bishop, Damion Joachim, Keon Gaston, Amari Goodridge, Johann Jeremiah, Ackeem Auguste |
Trinbago Knight Riders
Five RTMs. One retained player. Three breakout picks. Trinbago Knight Riders entered the draft with the clearest strategy of any franchise — keep what works, add what develops. Locking down Sunil Narine, Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, Akeal Hosein, and Terrance Hinds before the open pool opened means TKR’s spine was never in play. Joshua Da Silva and Abdul-Raheem Toppin join Nathan Edward as the breakout class charged with carrying that legacy forward.
| Category | Players |
|---|---|
| Right to Match | Sunil Narine, Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, Akeal Hosein, Terrance Hinds |
| Retained | Nathan Edward |
| Breakout Players | Nathan Edward, Joshua Da Silva, Abdul-Raheem Toppin |
| Full Squad | Sunil Narine, Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, Akeal Hosein, Justin Greaves, Dominic Drakes, Jyd Goolie, Dexter Sween, Terrance Hinds, Nathan Edward, Joshua Da Silva, Abdul-Raheem Toppin |
CPL 2026: Season Dates and Key Fixtures
Cricket West Indies confirmed the ==schedule of the CPL 2026 season ahead of the draft. The tournament runs August 8 through September 21 across eight venues in the Caribbean.
The season opener is a statement fixture in itself: Jamaica Kingsmen vs Antigua & Barbuda Falcons — a new franchise against an established one, both with genuine star power in their squads.
All four playoff games, including the final, will be staged at Kensington Oval in Barbados — the ground where West Indian cricket has written some of its greatest T20 chapters.
Reading the Draft: What Franchises Are Signalling?
The RTM and retention decisions reveal team philosophies as clearly as any pre-season announcement.
Trinbago and Barbados went deep on RTMs — both betting on continuity over reinvention. Guyana kept their batting spine while trusting youth at the edges.
St Kitts locked in two of the West Indies’ current form players in Mayers and Athanaze before any rival could move.
Jamaica Kingsmen’s approach was the opposite: no baggage, no compromises, maximum star power at the top.
Whether a brand-new franchise with no team culture yet can gel fast enough to challenge for a title in Year One is the most interesting question the 2026 season will answer.
The breakout picks, as always, are where long-term watchers should focus.
Kirk McKenzie, Mavendra Dindyal, Amari Goodridge, and Abdul-Raheem Toppin are names that could easily be household CPL names by September.
FAQs
- What does “breakout player” mean in the CPL 2026 draft?
A breakout player is a young, developing Caribbean cricketer selected from a designated pool. Each franchise must pick at least three. The rule exists to guarantee professional T20 exposure for emerging regional talent — it’s mandatory, not optional.
- Can a player be both retained and a breakout pick in CPL 2026?
Yes. Navin Bidaisee (St Kitts and Nevis Patriots) and Ackeem Auguste (Saint Lucia Kings) both appear in their franchise’s retained and breakout categories. This dual classification indicates exceptional standing within the squad.
- When does the CPL 2026 season start?
August 8, 2026. The opening match is Jamaica Kingsmen vs Antigua & Barbuda Falcons.
- Which CPL 2026 franchise has the strongest local squad on paper?
Trinbago Knight Riders retained the most star power through five RTMs — Narine, Pooran, and Pollard alone make their local core formidable. Jamaica Kingsmen are the wildcard, with Russell and Powell capable of deciding matches single-handedly.
- Are overseas players included in these squad lists?
No. The squads listed here reflect local players only, confirmed following the CPL 2026 draft. Overseas selections for each franchise will be confirmed separately before the season begins.
- Where will the CPL 2026 playoffs be held?
All four playoff matches, including the final, will take place at Kensington Oval in Barbados.
Don’t Miss a CPL 2026 Squad Update
Local picks are confirmed. The overseas announcements come next — and when they drop, they’ll complete the picture for all seven franchises.
Save this page and check back as each team finalises their full squad ahead of August 8.
