The Trinbago Knight Riders roared again to kind in emphatic model, brushing apart the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons by 9 wickets within the Eliminator of the Republic Financial institution Caribbean Premier League.
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Anchored by a masterclass from Nicholas Pooran and Alex Hales, the four-time champions powered their manner into the following knockout spherical, maintaining alive their dream of reclaiming the CPL crown for the primary time since 2020.
Falcons construct, then collapse
Despatched in to bat, the Falcons regarded poised for a commanding complete due to a glowing 108-run stand between Andries Gous and Amir Jangoo. Each batters raised well-crafted half-centuries, however their dismissals in fast succession shifted the momentum.
Left-arm spinner Usman Tariq tightened the screws, putting twice in two balls to take away each set males and ending with excellent figures of 2-19 from his 4 overs. From a robust place at 129-1 with 4 overs left, the Falcons imploded to 161-8 as Saurabh Netravalkar and Andre Russell cleaned up within the closing overs.
Pooran and Hales take cost
The chase started with a flicker of hope for the Falcons when Colin Munro, TKR’s main run-scorer this season, was dismissed early by Rahkeem Cornwall. That, nonetheless, proved their last breakthrough.
From there, it grew to become the Pooran and Hales present. The pair dismantled the bowling with authority, discovering gaps, clearing ropes, and silencing any menace of strain. By the midway mark, the required fee had dipped to only above a run a ball, and the outcome was all however sealed.
A dominant partnership
Pooran, in elegant contact, completed unbeaten on 90 off 54 balls, whereas Hales supplied the proper foil with a fluent 54 not out. Collectively, they compiled an unbroken 143-run stand for the second wicket, guiding the Knight Riders to victory with consummate ease.
The show not solely secured development to Qualifier 2 but in addition restored perception in a aspect that had entered the match on the again of three straight defeats.
Finish of the street for Falcons
For the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons, this defeat ends a historic marketing campaign wherein they reached the CPL knockout stage for the very first time. Regardless of their exit, the franchise can take coronary heart from their progress and the performances of Gous and Jangoo, who persistently led with the bat.
The Knight Riders, in the meantime, advance to face the Saint Lucia Kings, the loser of Qualifier 1 in opposition to the Guyana Amazon Warriors, with a spot within the last at stake.
