Image: Pollard and Pooran's fifties powered TKR to a 179/6 total / © ESPNcricinfo
When the Trinbago Knight Riders stepped onto the lush green outfield of the Brian Lara Stadium, they faced a St Kitts and Nevis Patriots side that had won the toss and chosen to bowl first. This set the stage for a gripping Caribbean Premier League (CPL) showdown. TKR posted a formidable 179/6 in their 20 overs, driven by cautious starts, a solid middle phase, and a blistering finish led by their explosive middle order. The Patriots, chasing 180, fought valiantly but fell 12 runs short at 167/6, undone by TKR’s relentless bowling attack.
The TKR openers, Colin Munro and Alex Hales walked out to face the new ball, the crowd, draped in TKR’s red and black, expected a fiery start from the seasoned duo. Munro, a powerhouse known for his fearless strokeplay, didn’t disappoint early on. He cracked three boundaries in his 17 runs off 11 balls, each shot a display of his trademark precision. His cover drives sliced through the infield, drawing roars from the stands. But his aggression met its match in the 3.2nd over when Jason Holder, the Patriots’ captain, bowled a cleverly disguised slower ball. Munro, lured into a lofted shot, miscued it, and Jyd Goolie at mid-off held a simple catch. TKR were 24/1, and the early breakthrough silenced the crowd.
Alex Hales, tasked with anchoring the innings, found himself shackled by the wily left-arm spin of Ashmead Nedd. Struggling to break free, Hales scratched out 7 runs off 11 balls, his lone boundary a fleeting moment of fluency. In the 4.1st over, Nedd struck, tempting Hales into a lofted drive that found Naseem Shah’s safe hands. At 27/2, TKR were wobbling, and the Patriots’ bowlers sensed an opportunity. The powerplay, tightly controlled by Holder and Nedd, yielded just 50 runs for the loss of two wickets, setting a challenging tone for TKR’s middle order.
Enter Darren Bravo and Nicholas Pooran, the TKR captain and wicketkeeper, to steady the ship. Bravo, with his elegant left-handed strokeplay, brought calm to the crease. He scored 21 runs off 25 balls, mixing cautious singles with a crisp boundary and a towering six over midwicket. Pooran, initially content to rotate the strike, played the supporting role as the pair built a crucial 51-run stand for the third wicket in 34 balls. Their partnership was a masterclass in rebuilding, taking TKR to 78/2 by the 10.3rd over. But just as the innings gained momentum, Navin Bidaisee’s part-time spin struck, with Goolie taking another catch to dismiss Bravo, leaving TKR needing a spark.
That spark arrived in the form of Kieron Pollard, TKR’s larger-than-life all-rounder. From the moment he walked in, Pollard exuded intent. His 65 runs off 29 balls were a brutal assault on the Patriots’ bowling, featuring two fours and a jaw-dropping eight sixes. Each maximum was a statement, soaring into the stands and igniting the crowd. Pollard’s partnership with Pooran, a 90-run blitz in just 31 balls, turned the game on its head. Pooran, finding his groove, contributed a stylish 52 off 38 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes, anchoring the innings while Pollard unleashed chaos. Their stand propelled TKR past 150, setting the stage for a grand finish.
The Patriots, however, refused to roll over. Holder returned in the 18.4th over, deceiving Pollard with a slower ball that led to a catch at long-on. Pooran fell soon after in the 19.2nd over, caught by Alick Athanaze off Holder’s bowling. Akeal Hosein’s brief stay ended in a run-out for a duck in the final over, as TKR lost three quick wickets. Andre Russell, unbeaten on 10 off 5 balls with a four and a six, provided a late flourish, pushing TKR to 179/6. Extras, including 4 wides, a bye, and 2 leg-byes, added 7 runs to the total.
Holder was the standout bowler for the Patriots, finishing with 2 wickets for 25 runs in his 4 overs. His clever variations and tight lines kept TKR in check early on. Nedd and Bidaisee each claimed a wicket, while Kyle Mayers removed Pollard in the 18th over. Naseem Shah and Waqar Salamkheil, though wicketless, bowled decent spells, conceding 25 and 37 runs respectively. Goolie’s two overs were expensive, leaking 22 runs. The Patriots’ fielders, with sharp catches from Goolie, Naseem, and Athanaze, ensured TKR didn’t breach the 180-mark. At the break, TKR’s 179/6 felt like a challenging but achievable target, setting up a thrilling chase.
The Patriots began their run chase of 180 with a firepower start. Openers Evin Lewis and Andre Fletcher knew they needed to seize the powerplay on a pitch that still favored batsmen. Lewis, a destructive force, wasted no time, smashing four sixes in his 42 off 25 balls. His lofted cover drives and aerial shots had TKR’s bowlers scrambling. Fletcher, playing the steadier role, focused on finding gaps, reaching his half-century off 34 balls with five fours and two sixes. Their 96-run opening stand in 10.4 overs, with 50 runs in just 5.4 overs, gave the Patriots a flying start, reaching 89/0 by the strategic timeout.
But TKR’s bowlers, led by the young Nathan Edward, had other plans. Edward struck in the 10.4th over, removing Lewis for 42, caught by Darren Bravo. The wicket shifted the momentum, with the required run rate climbing. Alick Athanaze joined Fletcher, adding 30 runs for the second wicket. Athanaze’s 18 off 14 balls, with a four and a six, kept the chase alive, but Mohammad Amir dismissed him in the 14.6th over, caught by Sunil Narine. Fletcher’s dogged 67 off 54 balls ended in the 15.4th over when Usman Tariq bowled him, leaving the Patriots at 128/3.
The middle order crumbled under pressure. Jason Holder, the Patriots’ captain, scored just 7 off 9 balls before falling to Amir in the 18.3rd over, caught by Edward. Kyle Mayers, expected to provide fireworks, managed only 3 off 4 balls before holing out to substitute McKenny Clarke off Edward’s bowling in the 16.5th over. Jyd Goolie’s golden duck, trapped lbw by Edward in the 16.6th over after a successful DRS review, left the Patriots reeling at 138/5. Mohammad Rizwan, unbeaten on 10 off 7 balls with a six, and Navin Bidaisee, with 12 not out off 6 balls including a four and a six, fought till the end, but the Patriots finished at 167/6, 12 runs short. Extras, including 7 wides and a leg-bye, added 8 runs.
Edward was TKR’s hero with the ball, claiming 3 wickets for 30 runs in 3.2 overs. His timely strikes, including Lewis, Mayers, and Goolie, swung the game. Amir supported with 2 wickets for 29 runs in 3.4 overs, while Tariq’s dismissal of Fletcher was crucial. Narine bowled tightly, conceding 22 runs in 4 overs, while Hosein and Russell were more expensive, leaking 33 and 20 runs respectively. TKR’s fielders, with catches from Bravo, Narine, and Clarke, backed their bowlers superbly.
When Kieron Pollard took center stage, the Brian Lara Stadium erupted in a frenzy, and his explosive knock became TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game. Pollard’s 54 runs off 21 balls, including eight massive sixes, was a display of sheer power. The 15th over, bowled by Waqar Salamkheil, saw Pollard at his destructive best, hammering four consecutive sixes to race to his fifty.
A monstrous hit over long-on off a googly and a flat strike over long-off left the crowd in awe. Pollard’s celebration, pointing his bat to the roaring stands, was electric. In the 14th over, Navin Bidaisee bore the brunt of three more sixes, including a whipped shot over long-leg and a colossal hit into the stands. Alongside Pooran’s steady 39 off 28 balls, Pollard’s onslaught lifted TKR to 118/3 by the 15th over, at a run rate of 7.86, turning the game decisively.
When Nathan Edward rose to the occasion, he cemented his place as TKR’s Hero of the Day. The young all-rounder’s 3 wickets for 30 runs in 3.2 overs were pivotal in halting the Patriots’ chase. His dismissal of Evin Lewis for 42 broke a dangerous 96-run stand, while his quick strikes to remove Kyle Mayers (3) and Jyd Goolie (0) in the 16th and 17th overs left the Patriots at 138/5.
Edward’s composure under pressure, coupled with an economy of 9.00, ensured TKR’s 13-run victory. His precise bowling and ability to deliver in clutch moments made him the standout performer in a thrilling CPL clash.