With the 2026 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) player draft just around the corner, every one of the tournament’s six competing franchises has officially locked in their mandatory pre-draft Breakout Player selections, securing six of the Caribbean’s most promising emerging cricket talents poised to shape the next era of regional cricket.
Under the 2026 CPL player acquisition and draft regulations, every franchise was granted just one pre-draft retention slot, which is reserved exclusively for a player already classified as a Breakout Player on their roster. The six retained athletes — Joshua James, Ramon Simmonds, Quentin Sampson, Navin Bidaisee, Ackeem Auguste, and Nathan Edward — have all caught the attention of selectors and fans alike through standout performances, demonstrated untapped potential, and growing influence across domestic and regional cricket competitions across the Caribbean.
The full list of retained Breakout Players by franchise is as follows: Joshua James will remain with the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons, Ramon Simmonds has been retained by Barbados Royals, Quentin Sampson will stay with Guyana Amazon Warriors, Navin Bidaisee is locked in with St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, Ackeem Auguste will remain on Saint Lucia Kings’ roster, and Nathan Edward has been retained by Trinbago Knight Riders.
To advance the league’s longstanding goal of nurturing homegrown talent, each franchise is required to carry three Breakout Players in their final 2026 match squad. This mandate is further enforced by a rule requiring every team to field at least one Breakout Player in every regular and postseason match throughout the entire season, ensuring young up-and-coming cricketers get meaningful high-level game time on the Caribbean’s biggest professional cricket platform.
Now that all pre-draft Breakout Player retentions are finalized, all remaining open squad slots across the six franchises will be filled during the upcoming CPL Draft, which organizers and fans are already tipping to become one of the most competitive and highly anticipated player selection events in the league’s history.
As the Caribbean’s premier professional T20 cricket competition, the CPL has built a reputation as a unique event that blends elite-level sporting entertainment with a structured, proven development pathway that prepares young regional players to compete and succeed at the international global cricket stage.