Kings dethroned as Knight Riders march to final

Defending champions St Lucia Kings crashed out of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) as the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) stormed into the final. With a ruthless display of batting and bowling, TKR left the Kings in their wake and set up a mouth-watering title clash against the Guyana Amazon Warriors.
“After being sent in to bat – and despite an early breakthrough from Khary Pierre, who removed Colin Munro cheaply – the Trinbago Knight Riders wasted little time in asserting their dominance. Alex Hales and Nicholas Pooran launched a counter-attack, propelling TKR to 61 for 1 at the end of the powerplay. Hales looked dangerous with his clean ball striking, while Pooran was at his fluent best, timing the ball sweetly and clearing the ropes with ease.

Pooran’s innings was the highlight of the early assault, as he raced to a sparkling half-century from just 32 balls, decorated with five boundaries and four towering sixes that had the crowd on their feet. His aggressive intent ensured the Knight Riders maintained a scoring rate well above the norm, keeping the pressure firmly on the bowlers.

However, just as the partnership threatened to take the game away, Pooran’s dismissal shifted the momentum slightly, leaving TKR at 79 for 2. Skipper Kieron Pollard then strode to the crease with his usual air of authority, and with Hales still set at the other end, the Knight Riders remained well poised to build on their explosive start and push towards a commanding total.
And the show continued as Pollard announced his arrival in trademark fashion, taking a particular liking to Tabraiz Shamsi. The experienced left-arm wrist-spinner came under heavy fire in his final over, with Pollard launching three towering sixes that sent the crowd into a frenzy.
At the other end, Hales played the perfect anchor role, rotating the strike smartly and punishing anything loose to keep the scoreboard ticking. With Pollard striking cleanly and Hales providing stability, the Knight Riders looked ominous heading into the death overs. At 134 for 2 after 15 overs, they were perfectly placed to unleash a final assault in the last five, with plenty of power still in the tank.
Alzarri Joseph provided a crucial breakthrough for the Kings when he removed the dangerous Pollard, who miscued a short delivery straight into the hands of David Wiese. Pollard’s entertaining knock of 35 from 26 balls, decorated with four towering sixes, had already inflicted significant damage, but his departure briefly pegged the Knight Riders back.
Hales, however, remained the bedrock of the innings. The Englishman accumulated steadily and brought up a well-composed half-century, anchoring the innings while others played around him. His controlled aggression gave the likes of Andre Russell the licence to play with complete freedom at the death.
Russell, as ever, delivered fireworks. His blistering cameo of 28 from just 12 balls, peppered with clean strikes to all parts of the ground, provided the perfect finishing touch to the innings. Combined with Hales’ stability, Russell’s late assault lifted TKR to a commanding 194 for 4 from their 20 overs.
Hales finished unbeaten on 58 from 44 balls, an innings highlighted by two fours and four sixes – a fitting anchor performance in an otherwise explosive batting display.

Chasing a steep target of 195, the Kings knew they needed to keep up with a required rate of 9.75 runs per over. Their openers provided the perfect platform, reaching 44 without loss at the end of the powerplay. Tim Seifert was the chief aggressor, taking on the new ball and finding the boundary regularly, while Johnson Charles played a supporting role to keep the chase on track in the early exchanges.
Charles struggled to find any rhythm, scratching his way to 17 from 24 balls before Pollard provided the breakthrough to end a frustrating innings. With the required rate steadily climbing, the Kings made a tactical move by promoting Tim David up the order to inject some momentum. At the halfway stage, the Kings were 61 for 1 after 10 overs, leaving plenty of work to do in the final half of the chase.
Seifert brought up a well-timed half-century with an audacious reverse sweep, showcasing his flair and intent to keep the Kings in the hunt. However, the required run rate had already climbed to a daunting 14.3 runs per over, putting immense pressure on the chasing side. In an attempt to accelerate further, Seifert was dismissed by Usman Tariq, finishing with a stylish 57 from 40 balls, which included eight fours and a six.
The pressure told immediately, as Tariq struck again on the very next delivery. Russell’s sharp catch in the deep sent Ackeem Auguste packing, leaving the Kings reeling at 90 for 3. Momentum swung further against them when Sunil Narine removed David, whose 28 off 19 balls wasn’t enough to keep the innings on track. The Kings now faced a steep uphill battle as the required run rate soared and wickets continued to tumble.
With 70 runs required from the final three overs, the chase had become virtually impossible, and the Trinbago Knight Riders were firmly in control. Narine delivered the finishing blow, claiming two wickets in his final over to finish with impressive figures of 3 for 18 from four overs.
The defending champions, St Lucia Kings, were ultimately restricted to 138 for eight in their 20 overs, falling short by a convincing 56-run margin. The comprehensive victory allowed the Trinbago Knight Riders to book their place in the final, with their explosive batting and disciplined bowling proving too strong for the Kings that night.