Host countries announced for 2022 CPL

Saint Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, St Kitts & Nevis and Guyana will all host matches

The four host countries have been announced for the 2022 Caribbean Premier League, which is scheduled to take place between August 30 and September 30.

Saint Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago and St Kitts & Nevis will host group matches while Guyana will stage seven group matches and the knockout matches.

For the past two years, the tournament has been held in a single country due to Covid-19 and bubbles, with Trinidad & Tobago and St Kitts & Nevis hosting the 2020 and 2021 editions, respectively.

In Saint Lucia, the matches will take place at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in Beausejour, with Lorine Charles-St. Jules, CEO of the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority labelling the CPL’s return a "huge opportunity".

"We are delighted to be one of the venues for CPL this year. The pandemic limited major sporting events across the world so to be able to welcome back a prestigious tournament such as this means a lot to us.

"This event is full of opportunities. It’s a chance to enjoy the brilliant sportsmanship that you see on the cricket field and it’s an opportunity to come together and enjoy our Saint Lucian hospitality."

^{The Guyana National Stadium will host the CPL final [Luis Acosta/AFP via Getty Images]}

Shamfa Cudjoe, minister of sport and community development in Trinidad & Tobago, added: "This opportunity serves as an investment into positioning Trinidad & Tobago as a regional leader in sports tourism especially in this redefined sphere of sport events in the post pandemic era.

"Live spectators are an essential element of sport, so fans are welcomed to return to the stands in support of their teams and favourite players. In T&T we continue to champion safe practices while having fun as all Covid-19 protocols would be adhered to during the games."

Guyana, meanwhile, has signed a three-year contract with CPL organisers to host the tournament finals until 2024. The 2022 final will take place at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence.

His Excellency Dr Mohammad Irfaan Ali, president of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, said: "Cricket is much more than a game for us in Guyana, it is a passion, part of our culture and a unifying force. As we celebrate "One Guyana" the hosting of the CPL final will be an energizing force.

"We are building a product that will be spectator focused, integrated with our regional partners for a global market.  Cricket carnival is a fusion of entertainment and celebration that will be mind blowing and unbelievably different from any other global cricketing event.

"We welcome all to the greatest celebration of music, pageantry, Caribbean vibes with a South American touch and of course cricket played loudest."

CPL CEO, Pete Russell, added: "We are blessed with amazing fans across the Caribbean, and this is very clear whenever we visit Guyana where the atmosphere at Providence is electric. The idea of having the Hero CPL final in front of this wonderful crowd of passionate and knowledgeable cricket fans is a mouth-watering prospect."