The Caribbean Premier League will begin its fifth edition on August 4 when the St Lucia Stars host the Trinbago Knight Riders. Now the longest running T20 competition that has ever taken place in the West Indies, the CPL may not offer the glitz and glamour of the IPL or the quality of the Big Bash or Pakistan Super League, but it is carving out its own niche as one of the foremost T20 leagues in the world.
Attendances have risen steadily over the past four seasons and last year 134 million people worldwide watched it on TV - an increase of 44% from the previous season. The cricket has been of a rising standard and the traditional Caribbean party atmosphere has been on full show. Last year, six matches were played in America as the tournament looks to expand, and financially, it broke even for the first time in 2016. To add to it, the creation of thousands of jobs providing a clear boost to the local economies in the West Indies, has played a part in its successful beginning.
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