PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Australian Chris Green has been appointed captain of Guyana Amazon Warriors for the Caribbean Premier League starting next Tuesday.

The 26-year-old off-spinner all-rounder takes over from Shoaib Malik, who will take no part in this year’s tournament after featuring for Amazon Warriors in recent seasons.

“I am hugely excited to be back with the Amazon Warriors for another season and honoured to be leading them for this season,” said Green.

“Guyana is somewhere I am hugely fond of and we are very confident that this is the year that we can win the Hero CPL title for our amazing fans back home.”

Green snatched 13 wickets last year at 22 apiece to follow up on a 2018 season which yielded 10 scalps at 25 apiece, and has become a key part of the Amazon Warriors outfit.

The right-armer also plied his trade in the Australian Big Bash for Sydney Thunder last year and was set to lead Birmingham Bears in the English domestic league this year before being forced to withdraw due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amazon Warriors team operations manager, Omar Khan, said Green had become an asset to the franchise over the last couple of seasons and had been a “natural choice” for leadership.

“Chris has been a fantastic part of the Amazon Warriors family since he joined us for the 2018 season and he was the natural choice to take the reins for this season,” Khan said.

“He is a fantastic cricketer and a fine leader and we are very confident that he will guide the team to a successful season.”

West Indies stroke-maker Nicholas Pooran will serve as Green’s deputy, following a 2019 campaign that saw him emerge as a vital part of the franchise’s batting unit.

Amazon Warriors played unbeaten in last year’s tournament before losing the final to eventual champions Barbados Tridents.

They open their 2020 campaign next Tuesday with a high-profile clash against hosts Trinbago Knight Riders at the Brian Lara Stadium.