The last time these two teams clashed this season, table-toppers Barbados Royals came out victorious, beating the Knight Riders comprehensively by 80 runs. Since then, the Royals have won two successive games, while their opponents have registered just one win in their last four matches, and are placed at the bottom of the points table.
Match Details
CPL 202: Match 16 - Trinbago Knight Riders vs Barbados Royals
Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad
7:00 PM local time
After wrapping up the St Lucia leg of the tournament, the teams now move to a new venue, where the Royals have won 8 of the 20 T20s they've played against the Knight Riders. This is a ground where the average first-innings total has been 147/7 across the 78 T20 matches played so far, and captains winning the toss have generally opted to bowl first. Both pace and spin have done equally well here, taking the combined wickets tally over 900 in 156 innings. In the last 10 T20s though, spinners have bagged more wickets and have also been more economical than the quicks.
Player battle to watch
Obed McCoy vs Nicholas Pooran - On one hand is a left-arm pacer with his wily slower ones that can outfox the best batters. On the other is an exciting southpaw known for his explosive shot-making. Obed McCoy and Nicholas Pooran have faced off on 5 occasions in the CPL. And in 4 of those, Obed has outplayed the Pooran, including the last time both sides met in this tournament. The left-hander has managed to score just 30 runs at an average of 7.5. With Obed coming off a three-wicket haul in his previous game, things are only going to heat up in this contest!
Team News
The Royals went in with one change in their line-up for the previous game, with Joshua Bishop replacing Justin Greaves. The team looks well-balanced in all three departments and has succeeded in giving the rest of the teams a run for their money. With playoffs qualification on their mind, it'll be interesting to see if the management goes full strength or decides to give some of their key players a break or two. The Asia Cup's conclusion means that Mujeeb Ur Rahman will finally be on his way to the Caribbean to join the rest of the squad. It remains to be seen when the Afghan spinner will make an appearance on the field.
Upcoming Milestones
• Kyle Mayers needs 1 more for 100 boundaries in CPL
• Azam Khan is 3 shy of 200 boundaries in T20s