Two top executives from the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) have earned a prestigious industry nod, landing spots on the 2026 Cricexec Women’s Power 50 ranking, the league announced in an official press release dated July 13, 2026. CPL has publicly extended its congratulations to Ravina Shankar, the league’s Director of Business Operations, and Dr. Tara Wilkinson-McClean, CPL’s Head of Partnerships, for their groundbreaking inclusion on the annual list.
The Cricexec Women’s Power 50 was created to celebrate the most impactful female trailblazers transforming the global cricket landscape. The annual spotlight highlights women leaders whose work is accelerating the sport’s expansion, fostering innovation, and driving commercial progress across every segment of cricket, from on-field operations to off-field business strategy. The 2026 cohort features outstanding female executives from a wide range of cricket sub-sectors around the world, including broadcasting, governance, commercial partnerships and event operations.
Shankar has held a central, irreplaceable role at CPL for years, leading the planning and execution of the league’s annual tournament operations. Her leadership has been critical to delivering seamless, successful events across multiple host venues throughout the Caribbean, while continuously raising the bar for event management standards and logistical excellence across the league.
For her part, Dr. Wilkinson-McClean has been the driving force behind the explosive growth of CPL’s commercial partnerships portfolio. She has built long-standing, mutually beneficial relationships with leading global brands and tournament sponsors, contributions that have broadened CPL’s global audience reach and cemented the league’s reputation as one of the most dynamic and exciting franchise cricket competitions in the world.
Pete Russell, Chief Executive Officer of Republic Bank CPL, emphasized the significance of the recognition for both the executives and the league. “Ravina and Tara are exceptional leaders whose relentless dedication and deep expertise have been foundational to CPL’s ongoing growth and success,” Russell said. “This honor from Cricexec is absolutely well-deserved, and it reflects the enormous impact they have made not just within our organization, but across the entire global cricket community. We could not be prouder to see them celebrated on this year’s Women’s Power 50.”
Shankar shared her reaction to the news, saying she was humbled by the inclusion. “It’s a true honor to be named to this list alongside so many inspiring women who are reshaping cricket,” she said. “I’m grateful to work for a league that prioritizes growth and innovation, and I’m excited to continue building on this work in the years ahead.”
Dr. Wilkinson-McClean echoed that gratitude, framing the recognition as a testament to the collective work of the entire CPL ecosystem. “Being recognized by Cricexec is a wonderful validation of the partnership-building work we have built at CPL over many years,” she said. “I owe this achievement to our partners, our sponsors, and the entire CPL team, whose constant support has helped us get to this point.”
Beyond celebrating its own two honorees, CPL extended congratulations to every woman included on the 2026 Women’s Power 50 list. The league reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to advancing diversity and elevating female leadership across all levels of the sport of cricket.