Usman Tariq Rejoins Trinbago Knight Riders; Glenn Phillips Signs for Guyana Amazon Warriors in CPL 2026

Pakistan mystery spinner Usman Tariq will return to Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) for the 2026 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) after playing a key role in the franchise's title-winning campaign last season. Meanwhile, Guyana Amazon Warriors have strengthened their squad by signing New Zealand all-rounder Glenn Phillips and re-signing veteran South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir.

Phillips is expected to be fit in time for the tournament after recovering from a side injury that forced him to miss New Zealand's ODI series in the Caribbean and the Global Super League in Guyana. The injury was sustained during the second Test against England at The Oval, where he scored his maiden Test century.

The 29-year-old returns to the CPL for the first time in six years and is expected to contribute with both bat and ball, particularly on Guyana's spin-friendly surfaces. The Warriors have also retained Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi, giving them a formidable spin attack alongside Tahir.

Tariq is currently representing Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred, and with the English competition overlapping with the CPL, his availability for the entire TKR campaign remains uncertain.

Trinbago have also added USA bowling all-rounder Amshi de Silva, who emerged as one of the standout performers in Major League Cricket (MLC) 2026. The Sri Lanka-born pacer impressed with his slingy yorkers at speeds exceeding 140 km/h while representing Texas Super Kings, earning the attention of TKR head coach Dwayne Bravo. South African batter Matthew Breetzke is another new overseas addition to the squad.

Elsewhere, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots have signed Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah, setting up the possibility of a meeting with his younger brother Hunain Shah, who has joined Jamaica Kingsmen.

The Patriots have also secured overseas stars Wanindu Hasaranga, Waqar Salamkheil, and Australian all-rounder Nikhil Chaudhary. They will combine with local leg-spinner Navin Bidaisee, who recently trained at former India bowling coach B. Arun's academy in Chennai ahead of the tournament.

Defending champions St Lucia Kings have retained wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert and Afghan spinner Noor Ahmad, who will partner Sri Lankan mystery spinner Maheesh Theekshana in a potent spin combination. USA seamer Shadley van Schalkwyk is set to make his CPL debut after helping Los Angeles Knight Riders win the MLC title earlier this month.

Barbados Tridents have brought back experienced campaigners Quinton de Kock and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, while Antigua & Barbuda Falcons have bolstered their spin department by signing Pakistan duo Shadab Khan and Sufiyan Moqim.

Shadab, who has previously represented both Trinbago Knight Riders and Guyana Amazon Warriors, will be available for only seven CPL matches due to a scheduling clash with the inaugural European T20 Premier League (ETPL). Moqim will also feature in only seven matches for the Falcons. However, overseas stars Moeen Ali and Kusal Perera are expected to be available for the entire tournament.

The 2026 CPL will be staged across a record-equalling eight Caribbean nations—Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago. The seven-team tournament will run from August 7 to September 20, overlapping with The Hundred, the European T20 Premier League (ETPL) and the knockout stages of the Lanka Premier League (LPL).