As anticipation builds for the inaugural staging of the West Indies Breakout League, regional players are eager to entertain fans across the Caribbean and around the world when the first ball is delivered at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on April 25, in the opener between the Guyana Rainforest Rangers and the Windward Islands Infernos. A day later, the Leeward Islands Thunder will face off against the Jamaica Titans, and there is a growing sense of expectancy from Thunder’s batter, Mikyle Louis.
Standing at over six feet tall, the 24-year-old Louis—who made his international debut at the renowned Lord’s Cricket Ground in England in Tests in 2024—is looking forward to the Breakout League as a pathway to enhance and evolve his skillset in this format.
“Initially, when I heard rumours about the West Indies Breakout League, I thought it was one of the best initiatives in a long while in West Indies cricket, because I just felt like there are many youngsters around the Caribbean who have the ambition to play cricket, but because we don’t have many avenues, we don’t get the opportunity to play,” Louis said.
“I believe this Breakout League is a great initiative for the younger ones in the Caribbean to get an opportunity to show people that they have what it takes to actually play cricket at an elite and professional level.”
There is real excitement across the region among up-and-coming cricketers about this tournament and the opportunities it brings to showcase their talents at the highest level.
“A well-structured tournament creates a feeder system for franchises. Players get noticed earlier in their careers, with performance statistics to back them,” Louis added.
“I’ve had a few conversations with players from around the league who, to this day, haven’t been able to play any cricket—any professional-level cricket. And the conversation is basically the same. Everybody’s eager to show the Caribbean that they are good enough.”
For Louis, the tournament creates an avenue for Caribbean fans to connect with the new and emerging generation of West Indian players who will carry on the legacy of the brand.
“Young players bring excitement, swagger, and a familiar connection with the next generation of fans. This could, in turn, help to revive the passion for the game, with familiar faces promoting cricket to their individual fan bases on ever-growing social media platforms.”
Having tasted the game at the international level, the Kittitian still has an appetite to represent the region across all formats.
“I would love to represent the West Indies in all formats. So, I think this is a good opportunity for me because I’ll be given more responsibility—unlike the CPL, where I don’t have much, and it’s more on the senior players. In this Breakout League, we’re going to share that responsibility.”
ABOUT THE WEST INDIES BREAKOUT LEAGUE
The West Indies Breakout League is a premier T20 cricket tournament designed to spotlight emerging talent from across the Caribbean. The league will feature teams representing the six territorial boards that comprise Cricket West Indies: Barbados Pelicans, Guyana Rainforest Rangers, Jamaica Titans, Leeward Islands Thunder, Trinidad & Tobago Legions and the Windward Islands Infernos.
Players eligible to participate must be under 30 years old or at the start of the tournament, have played fewer than 40 List A T20 matches and fewer than 10 international T20s, ensuring a focus on developing new talent. Each team is closely affiliated with a Caribbean Premier League (CPL) franchise, providing players with an opportunity to showcase their skills on a larger stage and progress their cricketing careers.
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