Kingston (Jamaica), July 11 (IANS/CMC): Four new players have been drafted by franchises in the high-energy Caribbean Premier League (CPL) beginning in Grenada Friday.
England international, Owais Shah, will link up with defending champions, Jamaica Tallawahs, while Ben Dunk, Player of the Tournament in this year's Big Bash League, will bring his big hitting to the Antigua Hawksbills, reports CMC.
West Indies batsman, Kirk Edwards, who played in all three Tests in the recent series against New Zealand, will join the Barbados Tridents, while batsman, Shacaya Thomas, will join Dunk at the Hawksbills.
The four players are replacing Thisara Perera of the Antigua Hawksbills, who has been selected for the Sri Lanka 'A' tour and Kieran Powell, also of Hawksbills, is unavailable for personal reasons.
Ahmed Shehzad of Jamaica Tallawahs is unavailable due his commitment with the Pakistan training camp and Imran Nazir of the Barbados Tridents is injured.
St. Lucia Zouks are also in the market for a replacement international player, after experienced Australian batsman, Brad Hodge, unfortunately suffered a broken arm in a warm-up game.
In the opening match Friday, the Guyana Amazon Warriors take on the Antigua Hawksbills at the National Cricket Stadium, Grenada.