St Kitts and Nevis Patriots are the new Champions of the Caribbean Premier League Twenty/20 Cricket Tournament. They won the title by beating St Lucia Kings by 3 wickets in an exciting final at Warner Park, St Kitts and Nevis yesterday afternoon.
St Lucia Kings batted first after winning the toss. They managed 159-7 off their 20 overs. Their batting was led by opening batsman, Rahkeem Cornwall, 43 off 32 balls with 5 fours and 2 sixes, Roston Chase, 43 off 40 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes, and Keemo Paul’s 39 off 21 balls including 5 sixes. Leg-spinner, Fawad Ahmed (2-32) and fast bowler, Naseem Shah were the most successful bowlers for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots who lost five wickets for 95 runs in the 14th over when their captain, Dwayne Bravo fell for 8 runs to medium pacer, David Wiese.
Earlier, Wicket-keeper, Joshua Da Silva and Sherfane Rutherford made 37 and 25 respectively to share a valuable third wicket partnership of 45 off 36 balls. But it was left-arm, medium pacer, Dominic Drakes who produced an audacious death-hitting display to rally St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the last five overs.
With 55 needed off 30 balls, Drakes hit medium pacer David Wiese back over his head for six, then went inside-out over extra cover off left-arm, fast bowler, Wahab Riaz to end the 17th over with 31 runs required off 18 balls. Fast bowler, Kesrick Williams then made a costly error to start the 18th over. He bowled the first ball completely off the pitch resulting in a no-ball, and Allen flicked the free hit past short fine leg for 4 runs. Allen started the 19th by pulling Wahab to deep midwicket, and the batsmen crossed with the ball in the air to give Drakes the strike. The next ball he received was short pitched and the left-hander hit it over the cover ropes again for six.
At the start of the final over, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots were 151-7 and needed 9 runs from 6 balls. Drakes was on strike. Fast bowler, Kesrick Williams was entrusted with the final over. Drakes took a single off the first ball. Naseem Shah also made a run to deep midwicket off the second ball to get Drakes back on strike. Williams’s third ball was a yorker into the toe of Drakes. No run. Drakes scored 2 runs off the fourth ball. Williams’ fifth ball was an attempted yorker outside the off-stump but it pitched on a perfect length for driving. Drakes cleared the front leg and slammed it one bounce over the extra cover boundary. The scores are level. Williams on his haunches concentrating to bowl a perfect delivery. Midwicket and cover are close in, and captain and wicket-keeper, goes up to the stumps. Williams bowls a Yorker, it takes the inside edge to short fine leg, and non-striker, Naseem Shah runs for his life, like he has never done before, makes it home easily, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots win the 2021 Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Drakes finishes on 48 not out, Williams breaks down in tears and the fans of St Kitts and Nevis celebrate in the stands and on the field.
The final scores: St Lucia Kings 159-7 off 20 overs, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots 160-7 off 20 overs.
