The inaugural Global Super League is set to kick off with Caribbean Premier League team Guyana Amazon Warriors taking on Pakistan Super League side Lahore Qalandars in the opening match on November 26. This five-team T20 competition will also feature Hampshire Hawks (T20 Blast), Rangpur Riders (BPL), and Victoria (Australia state team). The tournament will span 11 games, including the final on December 7, with all matches held at Providence, Guyana.
The competition will see each team play once before the top two teams advance to the final. The Global Super League is aimed at showcasing different teams from around the world each year, with a total prize pool of US$1 million. The event has been sanctioned by Cricket West Indies (CWI) and is backed by the government of Guyana, highlighting the region’s “ambition to become a global sporting destination,” according to Giles White, director of Men’s Cricket at Hampshire.
However, scheduling conflicts loom large as West Indies will be engaged in a two-Test series against Bangladesh during the league. Guyana Amazon Warriors’ players like Shamar Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, and Kevin Sinclair, who are also part of the West Indies Test squad, may face availability issues. Additionally, Rangpur Riders might lose Hasan Mahmud to Bangladesh’s Test side.
The tournament also coincides with Pakistan’s all-format tour of South Africa starting December 10, raising concerns over the availability of key players like Babar Azam, who played in the BPL, and Lahore Qalandars’ captain Shaheen Afridi. The Abu Dhabi T10, scheduled between November 21 and December 2, could also affect player availability across teams.