CWI to host new domestic T20 tournament in 2025

CRICKET West Indies (CWI) will host a new domestic Twenty/20 tournament next year, as the regional body tries its best to unearth more talent in the format.

CWI director of cricket Miles Bascombe made the announcement during the CWI's quarterly press conference in St Vincent and the Grenadines on December 16.

The green light for staging the tournament was given after a meeting of the CWI board in St Vincent and the Grenadines on December 15.

"I can confirm the CWI board of directors have agreed to move forward with a domestic T20 league aimed at emerging T20 players," said Bascombe. "And we will be (hosting the tournament) with the support of the CPL, and we're targeting April-May 2025."

Talks on another regional T20 tournament to complement the CPL have been ongoing for some time, with former Windies captain Kieron Pollard one of the first to call publicly for an additional T20 domestic tournament to aid the growth of younger players, during his stint as the white-ball skipper.

"Following the approval of the board, preparations for that tournament will definitely step into high gear, and I'm quite excited about that," Bascombe said.

Earlier this year, CWI president Kishore Shallow hinted that the region's new domestic T20 competition will be used to determine the Caribbean's qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, which will see the return of cricket as an Olympic sport.

"We have been in discussions with CPL for them to fund a domestic T20 tournament starting next year," Shallow said, earlier this year. "Once we're able to have that tournament, then we can use that to determine which team or teams will participate in the Olympics on behalf of the CWI."