Colin Munro and Nicholas Pooran hit 10 sixes between them and accounted for more than 70 percent of Trinbago Knight Riders’ run-chase against Barbados Royals. Fiery fifties from the two helped TKR make short work of Royals’ 178/6, and climb up to the top of the CPL 2025 table. Royals meanwhile, remain winless.
Munro continued his fine nick this season, teeing off in the second over from Chris Green that fetched 16 runs in the chase. He then went after Eathan Bosch in the following over. From the other end, Alex Hales attacked too. He threw his bat around before falling for 19 in the sixth over, but the Knight Riders reached 56/1 by the end of the PowerPlay. Jomel Warrican then struck in the seventh over to dismiss Keacy Carty, but that brought Pooran and Munro together.
The duo started their combined carnage early in the partnership, as they took 34 off 12 balls bowled by Chris Green and Daniel Sams. Rovman Powell brought himself on in a bid to blunt the West Indian batter, but was welcomed with three successive sixes. His 21-run over took TKR to 119/2 at the halfway stage. At this point the asking rate was down to six-an-over and a timeout ensued. After the break, the Royals put a leash on the run-making – only 20 runs conceded off the next four overs. In the fifth, Pooran slammed a six to get to his half-century but the partnership was broken in the same over when Munro was run out for 67. As has been his wont this season, Kieron Pollard came out swinging for skies, hitting Warrican for two fours and a six. In the 18th over, he hit the winning runs.
Earlier in the evening, Royals had solid middle-order contributions, but were dented by Andre Russell’s medium-pace. They were slow to build after Quinton de Kock’s early exit, with Brandon King and Kadeem Alleyne dragging the team to 44/1 in six overs, and 70/1 in 10. Russell came on in the 11th over and broke the stand with King’s wicket. Sherfane Rutherford arrived with the intention of upping the scoring rate, and even got two sixes off Mohammad Amir. But in the same over, the left-armer dismissed Alleyne to leave Royals three down for 118 in 15 overs.
Russell returned at the death to put a lid on a rampaging Rutherford. The batter hit a six and four off Russell before holing out to Hales at deep midwicket for a 22-ball 45. Rovman Powell took over from him to be devastating at the death, as he hit three sixes and a four in a 23-run over from Ali Khan. Russell then bowled a fine 20th over, picking his third wicket and giving away just seven runs that tied the Royals down to a sub-180 total that was easily snared.
Brief Scores: Barbados Royals 178/6 in 20 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 45, Kadeem Alleyne 41; Andre Russell 3-37) lost to Trinbago Knight Riders 179/3 in 17.5 overs (Colin Munro 67, Nicholas Pooran 65*; Jomel Warrican 1-24) by 7 wickets
