One of Antigua and Barbuda's most popular club cricket tournaments is coming back. The Cool & Smooth T20 Explosion, which has been absent from the local cricket calendar for over three years, is being revived — and its chief organiser says the clubs themselves are the ones who pushed for its return.
The tournament's planned return was confirmed by chief organiser Dario Barthley, who told Observer media that a window between November and December has been identified to host matches.
The Clubs Spoke — Barthley Listened
"To be honest with you, the thought to bring back the tournament really started with the clubs. I've had quite a few clubs reach out to me in the past few months and say, you know, Cool and Smooth T20 was a good thing. It's something that I think they regret had to go at the point that it had to go, but no love lost. We still think that it's a viable product within the cricketing structure, not only of Antigua, but of the Caribbean. Talking about some of the issues that even the Leeward Islands face in terms of coming together and playing tournaments, we just think that it took up a very good place within the structure that it needs to come back," Barthley said.
A Troubled Recent History
The tournament's road back to the calendar has not been without obstacles. In January 2025, Barthley announced that the tournament had been cancelled due to a lack of interest from local clubs. The 2024 edition of the Cool & Smooth-sponsored event was also cancelled following failed negotiations between Barthley and the clubs after teams made a proposal that all local players be paid to compete.
Format Changes on the Way
Barthley, who noted he is still in talks with clubs and other stakeholders, confirmed there will be changes to the format of the tournament. "Especially in the amount of teams that we give an opportunity to play in the tournament — I'm not sure if it'll be done on an invitational basis or whether we'll utilise the results from, for instance, the Super 40 as I know we did in the past to determine the top six or the top eight teams. But I think that probably around five, six teams is a sweet spot for a tournament being played in Antigua," he explained.
He also revealed that a franchise-style structure is being considered. "We've given thought to more of a franchise type of structure that has been used in the Joma Caribbean T10, for instance, where we give captain, coach, manager the opportunity to craft their team," Barthley said.
Remembering the Last Champion
The last edition of the Cool & Smooth T20 Explosion was held in May 2023, when Empire Nation beat the Liberta Blackhawks by 46 runs in the final at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium — the franchise's first title in the competition.
Cricket lovers across Antigua and Barbuda will be hoping the latest return proves more durable than its predecessors. With clubs driving the demand and Barthley working through the details, the signs point to a tournament whose best days may still be ahead of it.
