Barbados Royals continue their Caribbean Premier League 2024 campaign by visiting the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots at Warner Park in Basseterre, St Kitts on Friday.
Royals won the CPL 2024 season opener against newly-introduced team Antigua & Barbuda Falcons by nine wickets, with Quinton de Kock shining with a fantastic 87 off 45 balls. Much of the same will be expected from the experienced South African against the Patriots.
Rahkeem Cornwall, Alick Athanaze, Shamarh Brooks and Rovman Powell are also ready to lead with their batting prowess. Captain Powell and Athanaze didn’t get a chance to bat in the first game and will look to show their might this time.
Against the Falcons, the bowling unit worked in unison to restrict the opposition to a manageable total. Jason Holder, Maheesh Theekshana, and Obed McCoy are expected to continue their solid form with the ball, while Naveen-ul-Haq will seek to recover from an expensive outing.
The Royals have outshone the Patriots in four meetings out of five in CPL history. A win tonight will take them to the top of the table again, as they enjoy a solid NRR advantage.
OPPONENT WATCH
The Patriots finished at the bottom in CPL 2023, and their start to the 2024 edition hasn’t been great either. Though they won their season opener, they fell to three consecutive defeats thereafter. Currently, they are at the bottom of the standings.
Their primary issue has been the bowling unit, which has conceded 200-plus scores in each of those losses, overshadowing the efforts of the batters who have performed well. Anrich Nortje remains a key figure in the Patriots' pace attack. He will require much-needed support from Kyle Mayers, Veerasammy Permaul, and Odean Smith to help turn things around.
On the batting front, Evin Lewis, Kyle Mayers, and captain Andre Fletcher have led the charge. Much of the Patriots' hopes of bouncing back, rest on these three.
MATCH DETAILS
CPL 2024, Match 9: St Kitts and Nevis Patriots vs Barbados Royals
Venue: Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts
Date & Time: September 6, 7:00 PM local time | 4:30 AM IST (September 7)
Where to watch: Star Sports Network & Fancode
ROYALS TO WATCH
Quinton de Kock: The 31-year-old began his CPL 2024 campaign on a high, scoring 87 runs from just 45 balls. He demolished the Falcons bowling unit with 5 sixes and 9 fours and a strike rate of 193.33. Against the Patriots, he would be expected to carry his form and dominate the bowlers. The bowling unit of the Patriots has been under fire, and de Kock will utilise the opportunity to wreak havoc.
Obed McCoy: The 27-year-old West Indian star also had a good first outing. He ended the previous match with figures of 3/31 and took the wickets of the dangerous Jewel Andrew alongside Fakhar Zaman and Imad Wasim. The Patriots’ batters have had a good start, and McCoy will be responsible for restricting their march and keeping the total within reach.
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 (will join later), Keshav Maharaj (will join later)
St Kitts and Nevis Patriots: Andre Fletcher (captain), Evin Lewis, Kyle Mayers, Veerasammy Permaul, Sherfane Rutherford, Odean Smith, Dominic Drakes, Joshua Da Silva, Ashmead Nedd, Anrich Nortje, Ryan John, Mikyle Louis, Johann Layne, Rilee Rossouw, Josh Clarkson, Mohammad Mohsin, Wanindu Hasaranga