New franchise will be able to sign the likes of Andre Russell and Rovman Powell unchallenged

Jamaica Kingsmen, the new Caribbean Premier League (CPL) franchise, have been handed the chance to recruit top local players such as Andre Russell and Rovman Powellunchallenged in May's draft.

The CPL announced on Thursday that the 2026 season, which will feature the Kingsmen as the seventh franchise, will mark the start of a new three-year contract cycle and that new player acquisition and draft rules have been designed to improve the league's "competitive balance" and to support "emerging talent.

The Kingsmen are owned by Fawad Sarwar, a Pakistani businessman based in the United States, whose PSL franchise Hyderabad Kingsmen have reached the knockout stages in their debut season. They will become the second Jamaican team to feature in the CPL after the Jamaica Tallawahs, who have been defunct since 2023.

Source: ESPN Cricinfo