Week one of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2020 provided some enthralling action. Match nine of the tournament saw the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) lock horns with the Barbados Tridents (BT) at the same venue chosen for the first leg of the competition at Trinidad.
Bravo, Pollard and Munro shine:
The Knight Riders managed to pile up a daunting score of 185 for the loss of three wickets. Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard and Colin Munro, all three delighted spectators with their respective stroke-making.
Kiwi swashbuckler, Munro, notched up yet another CPL half-century in just 30 balls. He scored seven boundaries and two sixes in the process.
Darren matched Munro shot for shot in his well-compiled innings of 54, which came off just 36 deliveries. The glamorous left-hander hit four boundaries and an equal number of blows over the fence during his unbeaten knock.
The finishing blow was provided by T20 veteran, Pollard, who made a rapid 17-ball 41, which consisted of four sixes and a boundary.
When you know you have middled it! #CPL20 #CricketPlayedLouder pic.twitter.com/c6gve2gdc1
— CPL T20 (@CPL) August 23, 2020
POWERFUL POLLY! @KieronPollard55 makes it look easy. #CPL20 #TKRvBT #CricketPlayedLouder pic.twitter.com/Hq9XQV58W8
— CPL T20 (@CPL) August 23, 2020
Coming out to bat, the Tridents initiated proceedings on an explosive note, on the back of Johnson Charles. The powerful right-hander smashed 52 runs off just 33 deliveries, which included four boundaries and three mega-hits over the fence.
Shai Hope gave ample support at the other end with his anchoring knock of 36. It all changed with the wicket of Charles, as Hope kept losing partners at the other end.
Innings highlight: Ali Khan’s emphatic celebration:
The Knight Riders, on the other hand, were clinical with bat and bowl. The Tridents fell victim to the spin trap knit by the TKR spinners namely, Sunil Narine (1/17), Fawad Ahmed (1/14) and Khari Pierre (1/19).
However, the highlight of the innings was Ali Khan’s celebration after cleaning up Jonathan Carter. An animated Khan gave an aggressive send-off to Carter which finally culminated into him throwing his wrist-band at the batting end.
Ali Khan bamboozles Carter! #TKRvBT #CPL20 #CricketPlayedLouder #Googly pic.twitter.com/O8a79ZvvUS
— CPL T20 (@CPL) August 23, 2020
When BT captain Jason Holder joined Ashley Nurse in the middle post-Hope’s dismissal, the Tridents faced the uphill task of scoring 66 runs in the final four overs.
However, their entertaining partnership of 45 runs added some late excitement to the match. In the end, the Barbados team was left with too much to do, as they fell short of the required target by 19 runs.
Trinbago Knight Riders are on FYAAHHH! Another win! #CPL20 #CricketPlayedLouder #TKRvBT @TKRiders pic.twitter.com/DcEfqfNdqP
— CPL T20 (@CPL) August 23, 2020
