Sport Minister Olivia Grange welcomes Jamaica Kingsmen CPL franchise

Durrant Pate/Contributor

An agreement was signed yesterday for Jamaica to host a Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Team and stage CPL Games in is the island between August 2026 and August 2027.

The deal was signed by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Culture, CPL and Jamaica Kingsmen JDK LLC at a press conference at the Jamaica Pegasus.

The Jamaican CPL franchise owner, Fawad Sarwar, announced that  Jamaica Kingsmen was the name chosen for the new locally based franchise, being operated by Kingsmen Sports Enterprise.  Sarwar told journalists that the name for a women’s franchise, which is also coming, will be revealed in about a week’s time.

There was no franchise from Jamaica in the last two editions of the CPL’s T-20 annual cricket competition. The Jamaica Tallawahs, three-time CPL champions, were the last team from Jamaica to play in the Caribbean cricket spectacle. 

For her part, Sport Minister Grange warmly welcomed Jamaica Kingsmen, saying, “ I know all of Jamaica will embrace you as well. And in time you will come to truly understand what it means to our people to see you in the national colours, the black, green, and gold and have the word ‘Jamaica’ emblazoned on your gear.”

Continuing, she trumpeted, “Jamaica is back in the Caribbean Premier League; and we are in it to win it, again. That is the goal. And we will add the CPL with the Kingsmen to the list of titles, not only on the men’s side, but also the women’s side.”

According to her, “CPL represents a wonderful innovation to cricket. While we shall never get tired of watching a good Test match, especially when West Indies are in form, we must admit that there is something special about T-20 cricket. One essential element missing from the CPL in recent times has been Jamaica. Where else has a better atmosphere to enjoy our game than Sabina Park? There is no better place to watch, participate in or talk about sports than Jamaica.”

She cited the partnership with the Kingsmen organisation as part of Jamaica’s sports development plan, emphasising “we will work together with the Kingsmen and the Jamaica Cricket Association to realise our Government’s grassroots cricket development in Jamaica, with a specific focus on youth engagement. We want to expose more of our young boys and girls across the island to the rudiments of cricket from an early age. This is how we will continue to create Jamaica and West Indies legends such as Chris Gayle, Courtney Walsh, Michael Holding, Jeffrey Dujon, George Headley, Stephanie Taylor, and the list goes on.”

She concluded that this long-term partnership with the Kingsmen will advance the goal of making Jamaica a regional and global hub for T20 cricket.