Barbados Royals kick off their home leg of Caribbean Premier League 2024 by welcoming Antigua & Barbuda Falcons at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados on Wednesday.
Royals enter the encounter with two back-to-back wins, one of which came against the newly-introduced Falcons in the CPL 2024 season opener. Both the teams will meet in ten days again, with the Royals looking to repeat their dominating nine-wicket win over the Falcons.
Royals skipper, Rovman Powell has led the side brilliantly and the presence of Quinton de Kock up top has made a huge difference in their approach to the powerplay. They also have a well-rounded pace attack consisting of Jason Holder, Obed McCoy and Naveen-ul-Haq.
However, the Lankan spin duo of Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage have been the pick of the lot. They have been picking up crucial wickets, with Wellalage being awarded the Player of the Match award in the previous game against the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots for his all-round show.
South African star duo David Miller and Keshav Maharaj have joined the squad and will be available for selection. This greatly pushes the Royals' search for a third consecutive victory.
OPPONENT WATCH
After facing four consecutive defeats, the Falcons have won their last two matches. The wins will add to the side’s confidence. They showed great character in their previous game against the Patriots, avenging their loss from the opening game of CPL 2024.
Though Fakhar Zaman is no longer available, Brandon King is back after an injury layoff and was prolific in the last game. They have a long batting lineup, but not all are in good form, currently. However, Fabian Allen, who came in at number 10 in the previous match, eventually won the game for the Falcons.
The Pakistani duo - Mohammad Amir ainnd Imad Wasim also seems to have found their mojo which is a positive sign for the Falcons.
MATCH DETAILS
CPL 2024, Match 13: Barbados Royals vs Antigua & Barbuda Falcons
Venue: Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
Date & Time: September 11, 7:00 PM local time | 4:30 AM IST (September 12)
Where to watch: Star Sports Network & Fancode
ROYALS TO WATCH
Dunith Wellalage: The 21-year-old Sri Lankan put on a stellar show, shining both with the bat and the ball against the Patriots in the last match. In the first innings, he took the wickets of captain Andre Fletcher, Mikyle Louis and Sherfane Rutherford to end with figures of 3/31. In the second innings, his 39 runs off 35 balls were crucial in the Royals’ chase. He won the Player of the Match award and would look to showcase the same talent against the Falcons.
Maheesh Theekshana: The 24-year-old spinner has weaved his magic in the both the matches in CPL 2024. In the first match, he took two wickets and gave away just 21 runs. In the second, he was economical again and ended with figures of 2/16. He has been the most consistent bowler of the Royals line-up and would look to disturb the Falcons once more with his spin bowling.
FULL SQUADS
Barbados Royals: Rovman Powell (captain), Alick Athanaze, Kevin Wickham, Shamarh Brooks, Jason Holder, Nathan Sealy, Rahkeem Cornwall, Quinton de Kock, Rivaldo Clarke, Dunith Wellalage, Isai Thorne, Kadeem Alleyne, Maheesh Theekshana, Naveen-ul-Haq, Nyeem Young, Obed McCoy, Ramon Simmonds, David Miller, Keshav Maharaj
Antigua & Barbuda Falcons: Chris Green (captain), Justin Greaves, Azmatullah Omarzai, Jahmar Hamilton, Teddy Bishop, Kofi James, Joshua James, Jewel Andrew, Kelvin Pitman, Shamar Springer, Hayden Walsh, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Amir, Fabian Allen, Brandon King, Imad Wasim, Roshon Primus