CPL 2026: Six Franchises Retain Breakout Players Ahead of the Draft
Each CPL 2026 franchise kept one Breakout Player before the draft. See the six names, squad rules and tournament dates (August 7 to September 20).
By SportCricket Desk · 8 May 2026 · 2 min read
The six Caribbean Premier League franchises have named their pre-draft retentions for CPL 2026. Under the player acquisition rules, each team could keep only one player, and that player had to come from the Breakout Player category.
The rule underlines the league’s focus on developing young Caribbean cricketers and giving them a platform at the top level.
The retained players
- Joshua James – Antigua & Barbuda Falcons
- Ramon Simmonds – Barbados Royals
- Quentin Sampson – Guyana Amazon Warriors
- Navin Bidaisee – St Kitts & Nevis Patriots
- Ackeem Auguste – Saint Lucia Kings
- Nathan Edward – Trinbago Knight Riders
Breakout Player rules
Every franchise will have three Breakout Players in its final squad. In addition, each team must field at least one of them in every match of the tournament, which guarantees regular opportunities for emerging players.
Draft and schedule
With only one retention allowed, the teams will now build the rest of their squads at the CPL 2026 Draft, which is expected to be highly competitive.
The CPL has long been seen as a stepping stone for Caribbean talent, blending entertainment with player development. The schedule is already out: 39 matches will be played between August 7 and September 20.
