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The ninth match of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2023 saw Saint Lucia Kings outplay the Trinbago Knight Riders and secure a commanding victory by 54 runs. The game took place at the iconic Warner Park in St Kitts and also witnessed a bizarre incident unfold that left many surprised.
Toss and Saint Lucia innings
Asked to bat first, Saint Lucia Kings started off on a decent note as Faf Du Plessis led his team from the front and put up a stellar performance. The 39-year-old batter hammered a brilliant 57 runs off 36 deliveries and helped his team reach a competitive total of 167/5 in their allotted 20 overs. Du Plessis smashed eight boundaries and a six during his impressive knock, and his partnership with Johnson Charles (37) set the tone for the Kings’ innings. Meanwhile, Sikandar Raza chipped in with a crucial contribution of 32 runs as well.
Johnson Charles survives a bizarre dismissal by the barest margin
Apart from the impressive batting of Saint Lucia’s batters, what caught the eye of everyone was a bizarre dismissal Charles survived during his 37-run innings. It all happened in the 12th over when Charles took a nasty blow on his head, and his helmet almost went on to crash into the stumps.
On the fourth ball of the 12th over, Dwayne Bravo produced a low full toss to Charles, which the latter attempted to scoop but ended up hitting the white-leather right into his helmet. The helmet came off after the collision and almost crashed into the stumps. However, Charles demonstrated remarkable awareness by skillfully using his foot to backflick the helmet and saved himself from the dismissal by a few inches.
Here’s the video:
What just happened!?!
Johnson Charles almost dismissed by his own helmet! @BetBarteronline magic moment!#CPL23 #SLKvTKR #BetBarter pic.twitter.com/Ts6YxZY1m0— CPL T20 (@CPL) August 26, 2023
Trinbago Knight Riders run chase
In reply, Trinbago Knight Riders struggled to find their rhythm against the disciplined bowling attack of the Saint Lucia Kings. The Kings’ bowlers maintained constant pressure, causing the Knight Riders to stumble at regular intervals. Mark Deyal‘s explosive 33 off 19 balls and Kieron Pollard‘s cameo of 34 runs off 15 balls were the only highlights for the Knight Riders’ innings.
The Kings’ bowlers were in top form, with left-arm spinner Khary Pierre being the star of the show. Pierre’s exceptional spell of 3.5 overs yielded four wickets while conceding only 20 runs, causing a significant dent in the Knight Riders’ batting lineup. Raza also complemented Pierre’s efforts by taking two crucial wickets. Ultimately, the Trinbago Knight Riders were bowled out for a mere 113 runs in 14.5 overs, falling short of the target by 54 runs.
Player of the Match
Raza’s outstanding all-round performance earned him the well-deserved ‘Player of the Match’ award. His contributions played a pivotal role in securing the Kings’ victory.
