Dwayne Bravo

Trinidad and Tobago Red Steele captain Dwayne Bravo believes a positive start will be key if the team is to improve on its semi-final finish during last year's first staging of the Caribbean Premier League.

The Red Steele, who prior to the start of the tournament were tipped as a favourite for the title, got off to a poor start last season.

The team lost the three opening matches and was in danger of missing out on the final four until a flurry of late wins spared its blushes.

Led by a return to form of Bravo and Irishman Kevin O'Brien, three wins were recorded in the final four matches before qualifying ahead of Antigua Hawksbill by two points.

"A good start leads to good momentum, and that is what we did not have last season," Bravo said.

"It is something we are looking to change this time out."

The Red Steel was defeated in the semi-finals by eventual beaten finalist Guyana Amazon Warriors, has kept a largely unchanged squad.

Bravo and O'Brien are expected to get support from Darren Bravo and Pakistan's Nazir Jamshed in their batting with leg-spinner Samuel Badree, Sulieman Benn and Fidel Edwards expected to form the core of their bowling.

The Red Steel's first match will be on July 12 against the Kieron Pollard and Ravi Rampaul's Barbados Tridents at the Grenada National Stadium.