Trinbago Knight Riders and the Saint Lucia Kings will lock horns in the first semi-final of CPL 2021 on Tuesday, September 14, at the Warner Park in St. Kitts.
The Knight Riders, led by Kieron Pollard, got off to a nervy start in the 2021 edition of the CPL. They were fifth in the points table, but Pollard’s men have recovered to climb to the league summit.
In their last CPL game, they beat the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots by four wickets with one over remaining. After electing to field first, the Knights restricted the Patriots to 147 for seven. Opener Joshua Da Silva scored 50 off 45, but he didn’t get a lot of support from his teammates.
Dwayne Bravo’s quickfire 13-ball 25 lifted the Patriots to a competitive total. Ali Khan was the pick of the TKR bowlers, as he picked up three wickets and gave away only 19 runs in four overs. In their run chase, the Knights found themselves in trouble, though.
However, Kieron Pollard’s 22-ball 52 helped TKR get home without much fuss. His knock was laced with three fours and five sixes. The Kings, meanwhile, looked a tad lackluster to start with, but they now have three wins on the trot.
In their last league game, the Barbados Royals beat the Kings by eight wickets after half-centuries from Glenn Phillips and Kyle Mayers. They finished fourth in the points table with ten points from as many games. So they will look to make amends in the all-important semi-final.
Can the Kings get past the table toppers of the CPL?
The Knight Riders have found momentum in the ongoing edition of the CPL. Pollard and co didn’t allow their eight-wicket loss at the hands of the Patriots to derail their campaign. Rather, they have shown a lot of composure.
The Kings, on the contrary, have lost three of their last four games. They need to build some much-needed momentum in the CPL.The Knights are the marginal favourites to get over the line in the semi-final on Tuesday.
Prediction: Trinbago Knight Riders to win the match.
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