West Indies’ explosive batter Chris Gayle and former Indian cricketer S. Sreesanth will lead their respective sides in the upcoming second season of the American Premier League (APL). While Sreesanth is set to lead the Premium Indians in the tournament, Gayle will be seen leading the Premium Windies side. The tournament is scheduled to be played at the Moosa Cricket Stadium in Houston, Texas, commencing on December 19, 2023.
Chris Gayle as a lynchpin in American Premier League
Chris Gayle, often referred to as the Universe Boss, played a pivotal role in launching the APL at the illustrious Times Square in New York a couple of months ago. He was joined with league owners and other international cricket luminaries, including Fawad Alam from Pakistan and Ravi Bopara from England.
“I am excited to wear the captaincy band of a Windies team again. Playing in America is like playing at home. Cricket as a sport had to find a place in the USA someday and this is the best time to have a league like this.” said Gayle.
“The tournament will not just give us an opportunity to show our experience to the local fans but all the young American cricketers who have qualified, will get to learn a lot from this and take the game to the next level,” he added.
Sohail Tanvir to captain Premium Paks American Premier League
Meanwhile, former Pakistan pacer Sohail Tanvir is set to captain the Premium Paks. The Premium Afghans will be under the leadership of Mohammad Nabi, the current captain of the Afghanistan team, and Ben Cutting, the Australian all-rounder, will take the charge of the Premium Aussies.
In an exciting development, Dan Lawrence, the emerging talent from England, who made his Test debut in Sri Lanka at the beginning of 2021, has been named the captain for the Premium Americans. They are scheduled to face the Premium Windies in the opening game of the season.
Adding to the diverse leadership lineup, Navneet Dhaliwal, the Punjab-born Canadian cricketer who recently gained recognition for leading Canada in the ICC WT20 qualifiers and guiding the team to the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, will take charge as the captain for the Premium Canadians in their neighboring nation.
The tournament kicks off with a clash between the Premium Windies and Premium Americans, while the Premium Indians commence their campaign on December 20 against the Windies.
