The Antigua and Barbuda Falcons have completed their 17-man squad for the 2025 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL), which will commence in August.
The Falcons head coach Paul Nixon officially announced the squad during a live broadcast of the Pointe on de Streetz programme with Vernon Springer on Pointe FM Radio on Wednesday.
The Falcons have retained all-rounder Imad Wasim of Pakistan as one of their five overseas-based players in the squad for the August 14 to September 21 Caribbean Premier League.
The four new overseas-based players that are signed by the Falcons are all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh, hard-hitting batsman Bevon Jacobs of New Zealand, and the Afghanistan duo of fast bowler Naveen Ul Haq and off-spinner Allah Ghazanfar.
The Falcons also traded for Antiguan all-rounder Rakeem “Jimbo” Cornwall and Vincentian left-arm fast bowler Obed McCoy.
Cornwall and McCoy have moved from the Barbados Royals to the Falcons, while Brandon King made the switch in the opposite direction, joining the Royals for the upcoming season.
The Falcons retained young Antiguan batting sensation Jewel Andrew but released compatriots Kelvin Pitman and Kofi James.
The Falcons also retained all-rounders Fabian Allen, Justin Greaves, and Shamar Springer.
Antiguan all-rounder Karima Gore is one of six players who were recently drafted to complete the squad.
The others are Jamaican all-rounder Odean Smith, Trinidadian all-rounder Joshua James, batsman Amir Jangoo, and fast bowler Jayden Seales, and all-rounder Kevin Wickham of Barbados.
Seales said he is looking forward to representing the Falcons in this year’s CPL.
“I am pleased to be a part of the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons. I was in England when the coach Paul Nixon called and told me the Falcons are going to pick me up,” Seales stated.
“I was really pleased about it because I was really looking forward to getting into a new franchise this year and getting some game time under my belt. So I am really proud and pleased to be a part of the Falcons team.”
Legendary Antiguan and West Indian fast bowler Curtly Ambrose has also been retained as a member of the Falcons coaching staff.
“White ball cricket, especially T20 cricket, you have got to have a great balanced side. You need experience and youth, which we have got, and we have some fantastic overseas players,” Nixon said.
“We are looking for our overseas-based players to win the majority of the matches by putting in a lot of the match-winning performances. The younger guys, the pressure is not really on them because they are growing and leaning their game, and it’s a more long-term vision for them, but we know they are capable of producing match-winning performances as well.”
“We have a great blend. The ball spins in the West Indies, and we have some wonderful spinners; we have opening bowlers; we have good death bowlers; we have some fantastic all-rounders, so we feel we have many boxes ticked, which is making sure we have cover in all areas of the game.”
The players will assemble in Antigua for camp on August 8.
“We are looking forward to getting everyone together just before the tournament starts. We will have a little camp to get focused with our analysis team, physios, and backroom staff to get us in the right place and the right mindset to hit the ground running,” Nixon added.
Falcons squad: Imad Wasim, Shakib Al Hasan, Fabian Allen, Naveen Ul Haq, Obed McCoy, Justin Greaves, Bevon Jacobs, Jayden Seales, Allah Ghazanfar, Rahkeem Cornwall, Odean Smith, Jewel Andrew, Shamar Springer, Amir Jangoo, Karima Gore, Kevin Wickham, and Joshua James.
Like last year’s debut season, the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons will face the neighbouring St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots at Warner Park in the opening game of the 2025 CPL on Thursday, August 14.
The Falcons will then play five matches at home at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua against the other five franchises in the CPL.
This is a well balance team indeed. Best wishes Coach Nixon and Coach Ambrose and the entire team.