Barbados Royals thumped St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by two wickets in a last-over thriller in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2024. Batting first, the Patriots got off to a horrible start, but a valuable 82-run partnership between Wanindu Hasaranga (40 off 27) and Mikyle Louis (30 off 20) helped them post 153 runs in 20 overs. In response, Kadeem Alleyne (30 off 18) and Dunith Wellalage (39 off 32) anchored the innings for the Royals, while Nayeem Young (17* off 7) finished the game with a six on the penultimate ball of the match.
Match Summary
- Toss: Rovman Powell (BR) won the toss and opted to bowl.
- St Kitts and Nevis Patriots Innings: 153/8 in 20 overs
- Wanindu Hasaranga: 40 (27)
- Mikyle Louis: 30 (20)
- Key Bowler: Dunith Wellalage (3/35) in 4 overs
- Barbados Royals Innings: 157/8 in 19.5 overs
- Dunith Wellalage: 39 (32)
- Kadeem Alleyne: 30 (18)
- Key Bowler: Kyle Mayers (2/17) in 3 overs
Key Moments
Patriots Lackluster Start
After being invited to bat first, the Patriots got off to a disastrous start. Interestingly, their top three batters—Evin Lewis, Andre Fletcher, and Kyle Mayers—departed for a silver duck inside two overs. Maheesh Theekshana started with the new ball for the Royals and bowled a double-wicket maiden over, providing a solid start to his side. Meanwhile, Dunith Wellalage scalped one wicket in the second over of the match.
Hasaranga and Louis’ Partnership
After losing three wickets in quick succession for zero runs on the board, Hasaranga and Louis started the rescue mission, and the pair displayed immense maturity to counter the on-song Royals batters. They scored rapidly to keep the scoreboard moving. The dynamic duo added 82 runs for the fourth wicket and put the Patriots batting back on track. Louis delivered 30 runs off 20 balls, while Hasaranga fell just 10 runs short of his well-deserved half-century. 
John’s Cameo
The wicket-keeper batter came out to bat at number nine and provided the necessary acceleration to the Patriots at the tail end of the innings. John smashed 29 runs off just 14 balls before getting run out on the penultimate ball of the innings, propelling Patriots score over 150 runs in 20 overs.
Mayers Draws the First Blood
The right-arm pacer started the proceedings with the new ball for the Patriots and made an immediate impact. Mayers trapped the dangerous Rakheem Cornwall for a duck on the second ball of the innings, providing an early breakthrough for his side.
Young’s match-winning Cameo
The 23-year-old player came out to bat at number eight and delivered a match-winning Cameo for the Royals. The right-hander smashed an unbeaten 17 runs off just 7 balls at the crucial juncture of the match and sealed the game for his side with a maximum on the penultimate ball of the match.
Implications and Future Prospects
The Barbados Royals have won two matches in a row in CPL 2024 and are second on the points table with four points to their name. Cornwall, de Kock, Brooks and Powell failed to make significant impacts in this contest, but Alleyne, Wellalage, Holder, and Young chipped in with valuable contributions and helped their side emerge victorious in the last-over thriller. They will aim to continue their impressive form and extend their winning streak in the upcoming games.
On the other hand, the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots have lost four games in a row and are languishing at the bottom of the points table with two points from five games. Their top three batters failed to open their accounts, and the team lost three wickets without scoring a run, which put them on the back foot in this game. Hasaranga and Louis’s partnership was crucial for them, enabling them to post a fighting total on the board, but their bowlers failed to hold their nerve in the crunch situation. The St. Kitts and Nevis side needs to overcome their loopholes in the upcoming matches to emerge victorious.
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