Former West Indies captain Kieron Pollard is still capable of competing and dominating the best in T20 cricket. In the 12th match of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2024, Pollard smashed seven sixes in his unbeaten 52 to lead Trinbago Knight Riders to a four-wicket win with five balls to spare against Faf du Plessis’ Saint Lucia Kings at Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium.
Hosts post fighting total
Earlier, Pollard won the toss and opted to bowl first. Du Plessis and Johnson Charles got their side off to an ideal start. Sunil Narine got the breakthrough in the fourth over. Charles departed for a 14-ball 29. In his next over, he dismissed Sadrack Descarte for a golden duck. Du Plessis failed to play a big knock as well. He got bowled by Waqar Salamkheil. His 26-ball 34 knock included a four and three sixes.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Roston Chase shared an 80-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Pollard simissed Rajapaksa in the 18th over. He scored 33 runs from 29 balls. In the same over, Chase reached his fifty with a six from 37 balls. In the penultimate over, Tim Seifert hit a six followed by a four before losing his wicket to Terrance Hinds. In the final over, Matthew Forde hit a six. He got out stumped off the final delivery. Chase's unbeaten 40-ball 56 helped Saint Lucia Kings post 187/6.
Parris’ towering sixes
Narine hit a couple of sixes in the run chase before getting out to Khari Cambell in the second over. Shaqkere Parris got off the mark with a six on the first delivery he faced. In the fifth over, Parris hit Campbell for three sixes. Noor Ahmad was introduced into the attack and he delivered with Jason Roy's wicket. Parris in ninth over reached his fifty from just 20 balls. Descarte got the prized wicket of Nicholas Pooran who hit two sixes in his 12-ball 17. At the halfway stage, Knight Riders were 111/3.
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Pollard finishes it off
Parris slowed down and lost his wicket to Noor in the 14th over. He scored 57 runs from 33 balls. Pollard dealth in sixes as the required run rate climbed up. Keacy Carty's stay at the crease was ended by Forde. He managed to score 15 runs from 22 balls. In the same over, he dismissed Andries Gous as well. In the penultimate over, Pollard went haywire and whacked Forde for four sixes. In the final over, Akeal Hosein sealed the win with a boundary.
Pollard’s statement
“If it’s my role to finish games, that’s what I’ll do. Now that I’ve played a lot of cricket around the world, it’s my opportunity to give opportunities and play around others till I call it quits,” Pollard said in the post-match presentation.
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