CPL 2019: Brathwaite The Difference as Patriots Pull off Super Over Win Against TKR

Trinbago Knight Riders’ four-game winning streak in the Caribbean Premier League came to an end at the hands of St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, as the hosts won a thrilling contest in the super over.

Batting first, TKR got off to a good start courtesy Lendl Simmons, who is in sublime form. He followed up his previous scores of 63 off 39 and 86 off 42 with a 45-ball 90, which included nine fours and six sixes.

Along with Mark Deyal, the visitors took control of the proceedings and Carlos Brathwaite had to bring himself into the attack as early as the fourth over to try and put a lid on the flow of runs. He had success when Deyal was dismissed for 21 off 10 balls, but the runs came as freely as before even after the wicket.

In ten overs, TKR had reached 122/1. Simmons continued from strength to strength and even after he was dismissed with the total at 140, Darren Bravo and James Neesham ensured the flow of runs did not stem. Sixty runs were scored off the last 30 balls, and the Knight Riders ended on 216/4.

In reply, Evin Lewis was in an inspired mood for the hosts. He waited it out till the fourth over before smashing as many as 31 runs off a Jimmy Neesham over, clearly indicating he meant business. Despite losing two early wickets, they had 67 runs to their name by the end of the PowerPlay.

St. Kitts’ innings threatened to fall apart when Evin Lewis and Mohammad Hafeez went back to the pavilion, but Carlos Brathwait and Shamarh Brooks took matters into their own hands and got the team to 155/4 in 15 overs. In a whirlwind sequence of events, the two then were then dismissed, but Fabian Allen laid into Kieron Pollard in the 18th over, hitting three sixes. The equation came down to 25 runs required off 12 balls. Then 19 off six balls. And with Emrit hitting Neesham for 18 runs, the game went into a super over.

It was now St. Kitts’ turn to put the pressure on TKR, and Carlos Brathwaite backed himself against USA’s Ali Khan, bringing up a massive 18 runs off his over. Supremely confident, Brathwaite then prepared to hurl down the super over in pursuit of defending the total. Despite coach Robin Singh wanting the ball given to Alzarri Joseph, Brathwaite was vindicated.

TKR did not chase down the total successfully, which brought up one of the biggest wins of the CPL season so far for the Patriots, against an in-form TKR side.