CPL 2024 Match 12 review: Captain Pollard leads TKR to win against SLK

In an exciting Caribbean Premier League (CPL) match at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, captain Kieron Pollard powered Trinbago Knight Riders to a four-wicket victory over Saint Lucia Kings with a quick half-century under duress. Shaqkere Parris scored an aggressive 57 off of 33 balls to put the Knight Riders well ahead of the Kings after they had amassed 187/6. However, Parris faltered in the middle overs. 

In the last over, Pollard (52 not out off 19 balls) hit four sixes off seamer Matthew Forde to give the Kings the lead down to five balls left to defeat them. The Kings needed 27 runs off 12 balls. The Kings now have a 2-2 record, while the Knight Riders have a 2-1 record. The Kings batted first and played a good performance after getting dismissed for just 100 runs by the Guyana Amazon Warriors. Opening batsman Johnson Charles spoiled quick Jayden Seales' 23rd birthday by hitting two sixes in three balls to put the Kings ahead.

TKR shines at CPL 2024:

Additionally, captain Faf du Plessis gambled with his arm and was dropped twice before left-arm spinner Waqar Salamkheil removed his middle stump in the ninth over. The middle overs saw a respite for the Kings, as Sunil Narine took advantage of the spin-friendly conditions to end with 2/13 from four overs.

However, in the later overs, Roston Chase (56 not out from 40 balls) came into his own and helped the Kings to a substantial total. Narine gave the Knight Riders the early start they needed, but he was eventually removed by rookie left-arm quick Khari Campbell, who claimed the wicket with his sixth ball.  However, on 10, Campbell was forced to return to Earth after misjudging a skier in a fortunate let-off for Jason Roy. Campbell's self-assurance was damaged, and in the fifth over, he was hit for three sixes by a furious Parris. 

As the Tribango Knight Riders continued to soar above the necessary run rate, Parris raced to 31 off 9 balls. In the ninth over, the Knight Riders reached triple figures, and he duly struck a six to achieve his half-century off twenty balls. Parris, however, looked less confident when facing Alzarri Joseph's sharp short-pitched bowling. On 54, he gloved a rearing delivery, but Tim Seifert, the wicketkeeper, fumbled the opportunity after diving forward. 

Spinner Noor Ahmad misled Parris into a false shot, which stopped his momentum and set up a brilliant bowling change that ultimately sent him to his knees. Keacy Carty found it difficult to move quickly, and in the 17th over, replacement fielder David Wiese expertly caught him, diving quickly to take a stunning catch. The onus was on Pollard, who maintained his composure to amaze the local supporters once more with his first CPL half-century since 2021. 

Watch this space for more CPL 2024 news.