CHRIST CHURCH, Barbados — The organisers of the newly-inaugurated Caribbean Premier League (CPL) are promising a “carnival” of cricket when the tournament gets going this summer.

The CPL Twenty20 (T20) tournament, founded by chairman of Verus International Ajmal Khan, was officially launched at the glitzy Sandy Lane Country Club in St James on Tuesday night, amid plenty of fanfare and fireworks and with grand expectations of better days for regional cricket.

The $US multi-million venture, endorsed by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), replaces the Caribbean T20 and is set to target a substantial regional and global television audience. A total of 32 matches are scheduled to be played over the four weeks of the 2013 staging.

In his speech, Khan boasted that the region will be boosted by economic and tourism benefits, while adding that “the CPL will showcase the beauty and talent of the Caribbean to the world.”

The financier added: “The best cricketers that the West Indies has to offer playing alongside their international counterparts, coupled with celebrity appeal from Hollywood, Bollywood and local and international music talent with the carnival atmosphere for which the Caribbean is world-renowned and indeed envied, is sure to draw the attention of current and new cricket fans across the globe.”

WICB president Julian Hunte expressed his delight at the partnership with the CPL, which will see players being exposed to a more stable livelihood and having better opportunities to develop their craft.

“The WICB is particularly pleased about the opportunities the CPL will provide to players but is equally elated with the agreement which will allow for regional retainer contracts for a broad pool of players.

“The CPL will transform the landscape of the region and take it into a new dimension,” said Hunte.

Meanwhile, Jamaican batsmen Marlon Samuels and Christopher Gayle were unveiled among six contracted franchise players for the upcoming tournament, which is set to run from July 29 to August 26.

The other franchise players are regional captain Darren Sammy, exciting all-rounders Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo, as well as crafty finger-spinner Sunil Narine.

Each of these players is set to represent one of the six franchise countries to ensure that every team is reinforced with at least one prominent regional cricketer.

The CPL is currently in negotiations with Jamaica, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana and St Lucia to have these territories as the franchise teams.