Ricky Ponting signs up for Caribbean Premier League
In tremendous form in the Sheffield Shield, the retired former Australian skipper will have a busy season ahead after becoming the first international star to sign up for the inaugural championship designed like the IPL.
Ricky Ponting is not resting any time soon. The former Australian skipper, in great form in the Australian Sheffield Shield with three centuries including a double, has become the first international star to sign up for the Caribbean Premier League.
Ponting has already been named as Mumbai India's captain in the upcoming Indian premier League. The 38-year-old, who retired from international cricket in December, will play for Surrey for the first two months of the County season and then travel to the Caribbean in late July. He will know only in May which island he will represent. Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, St Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago are the competing teams in the July 29 to August 26 tournament.
Ponting's signing is a big boost to the new-born tournament. The CPL is attempting to match up to the IPL and the Australian T20 bash.
"The West Indies has always been one of my favourite cricket destinations," said Ponting. "The mix of entertainment and cricket is the perfect recipe for West Indian cricket fans as well as the rest of the world."
Six West Indies stars, Darren Sammy, Dwayne Bravo, Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard and Marlon Samuels have already committed to the CPL.