CPL 2024 Match 18 Review: Royals beat Patriots with 9 wickets!

On September 17, Tuesday, the Barbados Royals defeated the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by nine wickets at Bridgetown to take the lead in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2024 points standings. This was the Patriots' sixth consecutive loss. The Barbados Royals, who chose to field first, got rolling right away, severing Andre Fletcher and Evin Lewis' opening partnership with just 17 runs scored.

The Patriot's innings never really took off, but at first, captain Fletcher (32) and later Joshua Da Silva (25) and Anrich Nortje (22) gave it their best shot. But all the Patriots' efforts were in vain against the genius of Rahkeem Cornwall. With figures of 5/16 at the end of his four-over allotment, Cornwall let the Patriots reach only 110 in 19.1 overs. 

Patriots loses in the CPL 2024 18th match:

After getting rid of Odean Smith and taking five wickets, Cornwall was not even close to being finished when Alick Athanaze beautifully caught Ryan John in the deep. The Patriots were in serious danger of being bowled out for less than 100 runs, but Anrich Nortje and Joshua da Silva combined for the strongest partnership of the innings, scoring 39 runs, to save the day. 
 
However, de Kock and Kadeem Alleyne made it look easy with an opening partnership of 57 in the powerplay, which prevented the Patriots from taking early wickets. Following his century-plus innings against the Guyana Amazon Warriors, de Kock displayed even more magnificent strokes all around the wicket. 

After Kyle Mayers was given out for a leg before wicket in the fifth over, he took advantage of the fact that the call was reversed upon review. Unexpectedly, Hasaranga, who had been held back until the sixth over, hit Alleyne on 25 on the pads to end the stand for the Patriots. However, de Kock cruised beyond yet another half-century as the Royals firmly secured a postseason spot.

The Barbados Royals didn't have to worry about much sweating when chasing the score because they only lost one wicket (Kadeem Alleyne) and reached 113 in 11.2 overs. With 59 off just 38 balls, Quinton de Kock was the highest scorer, followed by Alick Athanaze with 22* off 15.

Watch this space for more CPL 2024 news.