ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — Trinidad and St Kitts will host this year’s Regional Super50 starting next month, with Cricket West Indies hoping the tournament provides an early launch pad for preparation for the 2023 World Cup in India.

Title-holders Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners will headline Group A in St Kitts where Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Jamaica Scorpions, Barbados Pride, and Canada will also do battle.

Last year’s losing finalists Guyana Jaguars, will contest Group B in Trinidad alongside Windward Islands Volcanoes, United States, West Indies Emerging Players, and hosts Trinidad and Tobago Red Force.

CWI director of cricket, Jimmy Adams, said the tournament would be an important one as selectors begun to assess players ahead of the next 50-overs World Cup.

“With the new World Cup cycle beginning now, this tournament, among other things, presents a starting point towards the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023,” Adams said.

“It will allow us to start identifying players who will go on to play a role in our qualification. Though some of our international players will be touring India with the West Indies during the competition, it allows more opportunities and exposure for our young players.”

Once again this year, CWI have included a developmental squad in the November 6 to December 1 tournament, with the hope of exposing younger players who missed out on selection to the six regional franchises.

Labelled the West Indies Emerging Players, Adams said competing in the Super50 would also build on the work done in the High Performance Programme.

“A young player may miss out on selection at their franchise if they are up against two or three internationals with similar skill sets,” said the former Test captain.

“The Emerging Players squad aims to provide the platform for these players to perform and reward the hard work they have been putting in following their stints at the HPC.”

International venue Warner Park and Conaree Sports Complex will host matches in St Kitts while historic Queen’s Park Oval and the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, will be the stage for the Trinidad leg.

A total of 40 group stage matches will be played, with the two groups running concurrently.

Marooners will raise the curtain on the tournament when they clash with Hurricanes on November 6 at Warner Park while Group B will get underway when Jaguars take on Emerging Players at the Brian Lara Stadium the following day.