The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is set to witness the triumphant return of a Jamaican franchise this August, marking the end of its two-year absence from the Twenty20 tournament. Under new ownership by United States-based Kingsmen Sports Enterprise, led by Pakistan-born businessman Fawad Sarwar, the team is aggressively pursuing a championship-winning squad from the ground up.
Central to Kingsmen’s strategy is the recruitment of Jamaica’s premier cricket talents—Andre Russell, Rovman Powell, and Brandon King—all of whom have expressed interest in returning to represent their homeland. Russell, a two-time T20 World Cup champion who departed the Jamaica Tallawahs in 2022 for Trinbago Knight Riders, previously indicated his desire to conclude his CPL career with a Jamaican team. Powell, who captained the Tallawahs to their 2022 title, and King, the team’s former skipper and current West Indies T20 vice-captain, are also being actively courted for a homecoming.
Faisal Mirza, a representative of Kingsmen, emphasized in an interview with the Jamaica Observer that the trio represents foundational pieces in the franchise’s vision. While avoiding premature commitments, Mirza confirmed that negotiations are underway with several Jamaican players and coaches ahead of the upcoming CPL draft. He stated, ‘We want to build the best team for the upcoming season and for the future… We want to bring the right kind of people—that is paramount to building the right culture.’
Despite being newcomers to the CPL, Kingsmen have declared an ambitious goal: winning the championship immediately. Mirza dismissed any notion of a gradual integration, asserting, ‘We want to throw down from day one, ball one—that’s what the Tallawahs spirit is.’ The management aims to assemble a competitive roster blending local talent and international players, supported by both foreign and Jamaican coaches.
The revived franchise inherits a legacy of success, having previously secured three CPL titles (2013, 2016, and 2022). With strong local interest and strategic recruitment efforts, Kingsmen are positioning the team as a immediate contender, aspiring to restore Jamaican pride in one of the Caribbean’s most beloved sporting events.