TKR let Ramdin go

TRINBAGO Knight Riders (TKR) have retained nine players from the 2019 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament, along with signing one new player, ahead of the proposed 2020 CPL draft.

But a notable absence from the list of retained players was wicketkeeper/batsman Denesh Ramdin who played the last four years with the TT franchise. Ramdin has been a solid performer for TKR as they snapped up two CPL titles in the last four years.

A TKR press release on Tuesday said, “The Trinbago Knight Riders have announced the Caribbean players they will be retaining for the 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League.

International retentions and signings will be announced at a later date. This year teams can retain as many players from their 2019 squads as they wish. They could also transfer players to other teams and sign emerging players.”

TKR retained Dwayne Bravo, who missed the entire 2019 CPL because of a finger injury, and Kieron Pollard, who served as skipper in Bravo's absence.

Other players retained for the 2020 CPL are Sunil Narine, Darren Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Khary Pierre, Amir Jangoo, Tion Webster and Akeal Hosein.

Ramdin, the former TT and West Indies captain, on his Instagram page, wrote on Tuesday, "Thank you to all my fans who supported me at TKR for (the) last four years, winning two trophies, (that) will live with (me) forever but, (due to) things beyond my control, (I) am not going to be at TKR (in) 2020.

Thanks to (the) management, staff and captain, also the owner for the opportunity at TKR.

Now it's time to move on."

Fast bowler Jayden Seales has been signed by the local franchise. The TT player was one of the standout players for the West Indies Under-19 team at the 2020 International Cricket Council Under-19 World Cup in South Africa.

Seales and Jangoo are the two emerging players on the team.