Dwayne Smith aims CPL title for Barbados Tridents in the upcoming edition

Dwayne Smith said that he is as motivated as ever to help the Tridents regain the title they last won in 2014.

Barbados: West Indies star Dwayne Smith has insisted that the Barbados Tridents are well placed to mount a charge to regain this year’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) title. Smith, who was transferred from Guyana Amazon Warriors in the close season, believes that this year will be the most competitive across all six franchises. In an exclusive interview ahead of the Hero Player Draft which takes place in Barbados on Friday, the West Indies international, who played in 33 T20 internationals has scored 1,061 CPL career runs in 41 games for the Tridents and the Amazon Warriors to date, said that he is as motivated as ever to help the Tridents regain the title they last won in 2014.

During that season, the 33-year-old lit up the tournament top-scoring with an unbeaten 110 and chipped in with another century and a fifty to propel Kieron Pollard’s men to the title for the first time.

Looking ahead to the fifth instalment of the biggest party in sport, Smith said, “Winning competitions has always been my motivation. So, for me, to perform and get my team into a position where we can win a competition would be great. But yes, it is a challenge, because there are some other good teams around. I’m sure that St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots is going to be boosted by Chris Gayle, Trinidad (TKR) has always been good, St Lucia is getting better.” The 2017 CPL is slated to take place from June 30 to August 2.