The Saint Lucia Premier League T20 (SPL T20) officially launched its 2026 season with a highly anticipated player draft event held on February 7th at the Palmville Conference Center of Coco Palm Resort. The draft ceremony set the stage for the tournament’s sixth edition, scheduled to run from April 10 to May 25 across various venues throughout the island.
The drafting process unfolded through five meticulous rounds, with each of the eight franchises strategically selecting one player per round. These new acquisitions will join 11 pre-selected protected players to form complete 16-member squads. The protected player composition followed specific league requirements: six mandatory homegrown talents, two retained players from the 2025 season, one marquee player, and up to two optional overseas players.
League regulations also mandated that each team include at least two players under age 19 as of October 1, 2026 (excluding international signings). New franchise entries without retained players received two additional draft rounds, while teams opting out of overseas selections gained compensatory draft opportunities.
Zayee Antoine emerged as the draft’s first overall selection, highlighting his coveted status among team managers. The event showcased the league’s growing professionalism and competitive balance as franchises built their rosters for the upcoming campaign.
SPL CEO Hassan Euristee expressed enthusiasm during pre-draft interviews, promising “production like no other” for the 2026 season. “We’re gonna take it up a step, up a level,” Euristee announced. “It’s time that we get into that professionalism. I’m just happy that we could have the draft and we get things going for 2026.”
The eight competing franchises include: Babonneau Leatherbacks, Choiseul Craftmasters, City Blasters, Gros Islet Knights, Micoud Eagles, Mon Repos Pioneers, Soufriere Titans, and South Castries Lions. Each team finalized their squads through the draft, blending established veterans with emerging young talents to create dynamic rosters for the two-month cricket extravaganza.