A top battle is on tonight as Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) finals’ week continues with its ultimate playoff match between CPL’s inaugural champions Jamaica Tallawahs and current champions Trinbago Knight Riders.
The Warner Park venue in Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis, is set to be lit for the match, with the winner progressing to this year’s final to face three-time finalist Guyana Amazon Warriors.
The match is expected to be a semi-final in its own right as TVs all over the world are expected to be switched on, the ground is predicted to be filled to capacity and the players for both sides are expected to deliver at the small venue to the delights of the spectators.
Both teams are tough, especially with the bat, and they must bring their A game tonight. However, the Tallawahs have demolished the 
Knight Riders twice this year with wins by margins of seven wickets and 19 runs. In a total of nine matches, the Tallawahs hold an upper hand with six wins while TKR won three.
It is the third time the Tallawahs have reached this point, but they have only managed to progress on one occasion in 2013. Nevertheless, they have the ideal composition to ensure they reach the final this time around. Talismanic batsman Chris Gayle is in the Tallawahs side and his presence alone can scare opposition bowlers. To support Gayle in the Tallawahs’ batting line-up are Chadwick Walton, Rovman Powell, Kumar Sangakarra, Shakib Al Hassan and Andre Russell.
On Wednesday last, Kesrick Williams impressed with the ball in the first playoff by picking up four wickets. He has been the leader of Jamaica’s attack throughout this year’s tournament. Providing him with support in the bowling department are Gary Mathurin, Imad Wasin and Al Hasan.
The Tallawahs have lost their previous three games in the CPL and that could hamper their charge to get past TKR in tonight’s game.
TKR have recovered excellently to make it to the playoffs, and play they will against the Tallawahs in the last match of the regular season before the grand final on Sunday.
In their batting repertoire, TKR have a barrage of ruthless batsmen, namely Colin Munro, Brendon McCullum, Hashim Amla and Dwayne Bravo. They have all done a sufficient job with the bat and will have to once more do so against the Tallawahs. The star of their bowling attack is Sunil Narine, who has been very economical recently but not as effective as his usual self.
Who will it be moving on to the final? Would it be the Tallawahs or TKR?
Tune in tonight; the game will get underway at 19:00h.
Trinbago Knight Riders: Dwayne Bravo (Captain); Brendon McCullum; Sunil Narine; Hashim Amla; Umar Akmal; Kavon Copper; Sulieman Benn; Colin Munro; Anton Devcich; Ronsford Beaton; Nikita Miller; Dinesh Ramdin; William Perkins; Yannic Cariah; Ramnaresh Sarwan and Hamza Tariq.
Jamaica Tallawahs: Chris Gayle (Captain); Shakib Al Hasan; Andre Russell; Kumar Sangakkara; Imad Wasim; Dale Patterson; Rovman Powell; Chadwick Walton; Jon-Russ Jaggesar; Andre McCarthy; Jonathan Foo; Alex Ross; Keswick Williams; Nkrumah Bonner; Garey Mathurin; Timroy Allen and Oshane Thomas.
