Knight Riders have made it through to the last-four, but there are a few flaws they need to iron out. Hashim Amla's return to the side may have bolstered the team, but Brendon McCullum's poor form continues to remain a worry. Having lost their previous encounter against the Patriots, Bravo's men will hope for a reversal before heading into the the eliminator clash against St Lucia Zouks.
Having played with a side that doesn't bat deep, Knight Riders had drafted the experienced Ramnaresh Sarwan in the XI. Even though he had a forgetful outing against the Patriots in the previous encounter, he could continue to hold on to his place with Anton Devcich, who made a 19-ball 25 against Zouks, returning to the side in place of McCullum. While their batting has been reliant on a few players, their bowling - despite the presence of two of the best T20 bowlers in Dwayne Bravo and Sunil Narine - has failed to cause much damage. Devcich's inclusion will also beef up their options with the ball.
For Patriots, there is nothing but pride and consolation to play for. Having spent the entire tournament at the bottom of the points table, even a win against Knight Riders wouldn't push them any higher. Nonetheless, Patriots' captain Faf du Plessis, who grew frustrated, disappointed and helpless as the season progressed, would be happy to sign off with consecutive wins under his belt.
While Krishmar Santokie and Samuel Badree have been reliable with the ball throughout the tournament, Evin Lewis added some muscle to the side with the bat in the previous encounter against the Knight Riders. With the chances of qualifying for the play-offs long gone, the final match could be an ideal opportunity for the players to finish the season positively.
As far as consolation is concerned, three wins in a season would always feel better than two, and du Plessis's men will be aware of that.
What: St Kitts and Nevis Patriots vs Trinbago Knight Riders, 29th Match
When: July 31, 12:00 PM local time (9:30 pm IST).
Where: Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Florida.
What they said:
"It's very strange, the winning feeling. I actually made a joke that we should move our home games to Miami. It's just about the basics. There's a lot of pride at stake. We didn't have a great season but we owe it to the owners and to our fans." - Faf du Plessis, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots captain, said after the win against Trinbago Knight Riders.
Squads:
Trinbago Knight Riders: Hashim Amla, Brendon McCullum, Colin Munro, Umar Akmal, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Dwayne Bravo(c), Denesh Ramdin (wk), Kevon Cooper, Sunil Narine, Nikita Miller, Ronsford Beaton, Sulieman Benn, Yannic Cariah, Anton Devcich, William Perkins, Hamza Tariq, Anderson Phillip, Javon Searles
St Kitts and Nevis Patriots: JJ Smuts, Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Faf du Plessis (c), Devon Thomas (wk), Jonathan Carter, Shamarh Brooks, Thisara Perera, Krishmar Santokie, Sheldon Cottrell, Samuel Badree, Brad Hodge, Tino Best, Nikhil Dutta, Jeremiah Louis, Kieran Powell, Tabraiz Shamsi
No comments:
Post a Comment