The Jamaica Kingsmen are set to bring a significant Pakistani influence to the 2026 Caribbean Premier League (CPL). The newly formed franchise has secured seven overseas signings, all of whom share ties with the Hyderabad Kingsmen, the parent franchise that reached the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 final earlier this year. The list of recruits includes Saim Ayub, Maaz Sadaqat, Usman Khan, and Hunain Shah, who is the brother of Naseem Shah. Additionally, the squad features Pakistan-born USA players Hassan Khan and Shayan Jahangir, alongside rookie batter Tayyab Arif.
For Maaz Sadaqat, the upcoming CPL marks his debut in an overseas T20 league. An explosive left-hand top-order batter who also bowls left-arm fingerspin, Sadaqat recorded a strike rate of 178.08 during the 2026 PSL, the highest among the 38 batters who faced at least 100 deliveries. Saim Ayub makes his return to the tournament after a three-year hiatus, having previously excelled for the Guyana Amazon Warriors in 2023, where he finished as the second-highest run-scorer with 478 runs. Ayub has since evolved into a versatile allrounder capable of delivering mystery spin, including the carrom ball, the flipper, and the wrong'un.
Availability for the new signings will be staggered. Ayub, Sadaqat, and Usman are scheduled to join the team on August 19, filling the spots vacated by Jahangir and Arif, who will depart after the first half of the tournament. Conversely, Hassan and Hunain are confirmed to be available for the entire duration of the competition. The CPL 2026 season runs from August 7 to September 20 across eight nations, including Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Owned by US-based Pakistani businessman Fawad Sarwar, the Kingsmen replace the defunct Jamaica Tallawahs. The franchise has also recruited local stalwarts Andre Russell and Rovman Powell, with Powell set to serve as captain. Both players arrive following their MLC 2026 victory with the LA Knight Riders. Furthermore, left-arm wristspinner Vitel Lawes, following his recent international debut against New Zealand, is slated to make his CPL debut for the Kingsmen. The full squad also includes Keemo Paul, Keacy Carty, Jediah Blades, Shaqkere Parris, Odean Smith, Romaine Morris, Kirk McKenzie, Kelvin Pitman, and Jeavor Royal.
