Chase appointed St Lucia Kings captain for CPL 2026

CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC):

The Saint Lucia Kings have named Barbadian all-rounder Roston Chase as their captain for the 2026 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season, the franchise confirmed on Thursday.

The 34-year-old West Indies Test captain, who has been a cornerstone of the Kings’ squad for several seasons, takes over the reins ahead of the tournament opener on August 9.

Chase was instrumental in the Kings’ title-winning campaign in 2024 and now aims to replicate that success from a leadership position.

While born in Barbados, Chase holds deep St Lucian ties through his grandmother, who hails from the island affectionately known as the “Fair Helen”.

His connection to the franchise runs beyond heritage; having previously starred with the bat in CPL colours, he finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer in 2021 with 446 runs and was named Player of the Tournament.

“It is a tremendous honour to be named captain of the St Lucia Kings,” Chase said.

“This franchise has been a big part of my cricketing journey, and I have always enjoyed representing the Kings and playing in front of our passionate fans. To now have the opportunity to lead this team is something I am incredibly proud of.”

Kings head coach Daren Sammy, who has both captained and coached Chase during their time together with the franchise, endorsed the appointment with high praise.

“Roston has earned the respect of everyone in the dressing room through his consistency, work ethic and selfless approach to the game,” Sammy said.

“He leads by example and understands what it means to represent St Lucia. I have no doubt he has the character and cricketing acumen to guide this talented group, and I’m excited to see the team rally behind him as we begin another important CPL season.”

The Kings will kick off their 2026 campaign on Sunday, August 9, against the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons on neutral ground in St Vincent.

Fans will get their first look at the new captain on home soil when the Kings play their domestic fixtures at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground on August 12, 14, 16, 19 and 21.