Falcons, Patriots to bowl off 2025 CPL on August 14

THE 2025 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season will bowl off with a clash between St Kitts and Nevis Patriots and the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons – the competition’s newest franchise – at Warner Park in Basseterre, St Kitts on August 14.

The CPL confirmed this in a March 24 media release, which also included the full list of fixtures for the 13th edition of the tourney. This season’s opening game is a rematch of the 2024 season opener, which the Patriots won in dramatic fashion via a one-wicket margin at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.

Reigning champions St Lucia Kings will begin their title defence when they face the Falcons in Antigua on August 17. Also on August 17, four-time CPL champs Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) will start their campaign with a clash with the Patriots in St Kitts.

It will be the first of three road matches for TKR to start the season, as they will play the Falcons in Antigua on August 20 before tackling the champs St Lucia at the Daren Sammy Cricket Stadium in St Lucia on August 23.

TKR, the most successful team in the history of the tourney, will then have a five-game homestand from August 27-September 3. TKR will play the Falcons on August 27, then Barbados Royals (August 29), rivals Guyana Amazon Warriors (August 30), Patriots (September 1) and the Kings (September 3).

TKR will close off the preliminary phase of the tournament with a match away to the Amazon Warriors on September 6, before playing the Royals at Kensington Oval in Barbados on September 12.

A total of 34 matches will be held across the region and CPL tournament operations director Michael Hall is expecting a grand tournament for 2025.

“We’re thrilled to once again deliver a world-class tournament that brings together passionate cricket fans from across the Caribbean and beyond,” Hall said.

“The 2024 edition exceeded all expectations and we’re confident that the 2025 tournament will build on that success, providing unforgettable moments for players and spectators alike.”

TKR will be hoping to take their place in the CPL knockout phase which starts at the National Stadium in Providence, Guyana on September 16. The final will be held in Providence on September 21.

Last season, in the eliminator match, TKR had a contentious exit from the tournament as they were defeated by the Royals in a truncated affair after a lengthy delay due to a power outage at the Providence venue.