No regrets

No regrets
Published on Feb 12, 2016, 10:27 pm AST
By Roger Seepersad
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FACING THE PRESS: Caribbean Premier League CEO Damien O’Donohoe, right, and Trinbago Knight Riders CEO Venky Mysore field questions during a media conference at Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain, yesterday. –Photo: ROGER SEEPERSAD


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Trinbago Knight Riders CEO Venky Mysore is excited about the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) team they picked in the draft and despite not getting all the players he wanted, he said he had no regrets about the selections.

Mysore fielded questions from the Trinidad and Tobago media at the Hyatt Regency yesterday when he reiterated that despite the re-branding of the T&T-based franchise from the Red Steel to the Trinbago Knight Riders, the national colours of red, white and black will still feature prominently on the team’s uniform.

Asked about Thursday’s draft, Mysore said “We came away with some quality so we are excited about the team we have built...I think we have a really good nucleus to build on.”
“You always go in with some plans. (Samuel) Badree would have been nice for us but we ended up getting some real quality as well so no regrets,” he added.
Speaking about the other franchises, he said “Every team is a threat. We are very happy with our team but all teams are very well balanced which will make for an exciting tournament. Any team can beat anyone on a give day.”
Mysore also revealed that Dwayne Bravo will captain the team again this year having led the franchise to the CPL title on home soil last year.

CPL CEO Damien O’Donohoe confirmed that discussions on ongoing as to where the 2016 CPL final will be held with Barbados and Guyana, who are celebrating 50 years of independence and last year’s hosts for the semifinals and final Trinidad and Tobago in contention.
O’Donohoe also noted that the centrally contracted West Indies players can only be part of the biggest party in sport if they are selected as a replacement player for someone who is injured.

O’Donohoe said the West Indies contracted players “put themselves forward for the draft because we have a rule that if we have to bring on any replacement players, that replacement has to have been in the initial draft.”

He also confirmed that they could only come in to play as a replacement if a player is injured.