The inaugural Global Super League (GSL) is set to begin on November 26 in Providence, Guyana. The five-team tournament will feature prominent cricket teams from leagues around the world, including Guyana Amazon Warriors (Caribbean Premier League), Lahore Qalandars (Pakistan Super League), Hampshire Hawks (T20 Blast), Rangpur Riders (Bangladesh Premier League), and Victoria (Australia's state cricket team). The eleven-game tournament will span just under two weeks, with the final scheduled for December 7. (More Cricket News)
The format is simple but intense. Each team will play the others once, with the top two sides at the end of the round-robin phase advancing to the final. The tournament promises high-octane cricket, and all matches will be held at the Providence Stadium in Guyana.
The Global Super League is designed to be an annual event, rotating teams from various cricket leagues and domestic circuits each year. The event aims to become a cornerstone of international franchise cricket and position Guyana as a major sporting destination, a sentiment echoed by Giles White, Director of Men's Cricket at Hampshire Hawks.
"International club competition has been a success in other sports, but cricket has lacked such opportunities for some time," White said.
The event has been sanctioned by Cricket West Indies (CWI) and enjoys full support from the government of Guyana, which is a key stakeholder in the competition. The tournament carries a prize pool of USD $1 million.
However, scheduling conflicts may complicate team rosters. The West Indies will be hosting Bangladesh for a Test series between November 22 and December 4, which could impact the availability of key players from Guyana Amazon Warriors, such as Gudakesh Motie and Kevin Sinclair, who are likely to be called up for national duties. Similarly, Rangpur Riders could miss the services of Hasan Mahmud due to the Bangladesh series.
Additionally, the tournament overlaps with the Abu Dhabi T10 and precedes Pakistan's tour of South Africa, potentially limiting the availability of star players like Shaheen Afridi, the Qalandars’ captain and Babar Azam, who featured in the 2024 BPL for Rangpur Riders.
