Trinbago Knight Riders went top of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) table on Saturday with a crushing win over Jamaica Tallawahs at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba.
Half-centuries by the in-form Nicholas Pooran (54 off 35 balls) and opener Martin Guptill (53 not out off 45 balls) steered TKR to a comfortable seven-wicket victory in front a raucous sea of red. Jamaican all-rounder Andre Russell drove the final nail in his former team's coffin with three monstrous sixes in a brisk 20 not out off 12 balls, as TKR finished on 155/3.
Batting first, TKR spinners Sunil Narine (2/29), Akeal Hosein (1/10), 20-year-old Jaden Carmichael (1/27) and Waqar Salamkheil (0/26) put the clamps on Jamaica in a spin cycle that lasted 11 overs.
Tallawahs captain Brandon King fell to Carmichael caught on the boundary attempting a slog sweep, while compatriot Jermaine Blackwood was kept sedated with 29 off 35 balls.
However, Pakistan allrounder Imad Wasim revived Tallawahs with a much-needed 62 off 33 balls (six fours, three sixes)
American pacer Ali Khan, despite his late introduction with the ball, bowled brilliantly and got the wicket of Wasim as he sought to end the innings in a flourish. Khan's effort at the death was even more commendable as TKR were punished for a slow over rate with additional fielding restrictions. He was still able to stymie Jamaica's batsmen to finish with three wickets for 27 runs.
[caption id="attachment_1034687" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Fans at the CPL game between TKR and Jamaica Tallawahs at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy - Photo by Lincoln Holder[/caption]
With just one more game on Sunday against St Lucia Kings before the tournament shifts to Guyana for its final phases, TKR look in ominous form.
A win Sunday against the Kings will see TKR cement a top-two position and two cracks at qualifying for the September 24 CPL final when the playoffs begin.
A last-place finish in 2022 is well and truly behind them and the Kieron Pollard-led team is eyeing the big prize.
The stats back up the pedigree and form of the team as two of the top three scorers in the CPL are in the TKR dugout. St Kitts and Nevis Patriots' Andre Fletcher leads with 267 runs, ahead of Guptill (245) and Pooran (242).
However, Pooran (102 not out) boasts the joint highest score alongside Barbados' Rahkeem Cornwall while Guptill is second with an unbeaten 100.
Among the bowlers, Russell has snatched just one wicket less than tournament leader Jason Holder (12). Narine, Saturday's Man-of-the-Match, is fourth with nine scalps.
Scores: TALLAWAHS 154 for eight off 20 overs (Imad Wasim 62, Jermaine Blackwood 29; Ali Khan 3-27) vs TKR 155 for three off 17.2 overs (Nicholas Pooran 54, Martin Gupill 53 not out; Imad Wasim 2-28).
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