For the first time in its brief history, the 2024 Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) will precede the men’s competition, serving as a standalone tournament scheduled from August 21st to 29th, 2024, in Trinidad & Tobago, as confirmed by the CPL media release.
Even in its 3rd edition, the Twenty20 (T20) tournament remains a three-team affair, with Barbados Royals, Guyana Amazon Warriors, and Trinbago Knight Riders poised to compete in six group games, vying for the top spot.
In the inaugural season, Trinbago Knight Riders emerged victorious in a closely contested final, defeating the Barbados Royals. However, in the following season, the Royals clinched their maiden WCPL title with an eight-run victory in a high-scoring final at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, the host venue for the forthcoming season.
Last year’s WCPL achieved record viewership numbers, with the total broadcast and digital viewership reaching 36.2 million for the expanded tournament held in Barbados and Trinidad. The competition experienced a 45% increase in viewership, with a surge in the number of international fans tuning in for the second season.
While the squads and the complete schedule of the tournament are awaited, it’s clear that the WCPL will attract some of the best talents from around the globe, especially with the T20 World Cup looming. The stakes will be high for both Caribbean cricketers and overseas players alike.
Shreyanka Patil holds the distinction of being the first and only player from India to have featured in the competition, and it remains to be seen if she will have more Indian company in the Caribbean for this edition.
The media release highlighted Trinidad & Tobago’s role as the tournament’s host, emphasizing the country’s commitment to showcasing its sports tourism potential while also placing additional emphasis on women’s top-level sport.
Pete Russell, CEO of the Caribbean Premier League, commented, “We would like to thank Trinidad & Tobago for agreeing to host this tournament, and we are excited to be having the Massy WCPL taking place before we get the men’s tournament underway. The commitment that the Trinidad & Tobago government has shown to women’s sport has been phenomenal, and we are looking forward to another superb exhibition of world-class cricket over these seven matches from 21 to 29 August.”