Trinbago Knight Riders ease to victory over St Lucia Zouks to secure Caribbean Premier League crown

Kieron Pollard’s side were worthy winners, having won every single game they played – cruising through the group stage with ten wins out of ten, before winning their semi-final

Tarouba: St Lucia Zouks 154 v Trinbago Knight Riders 157-2 - Trinbago win by eight wickets

Scorecard

Trinbago Knight Riders won their third Caribbean Premier League in four seasons, beating St Lucia Zouks by eight wickets in the final.

Kieron Pollard’s side were worthy winners, having won every single game they played – cruising through the group stage with ten wins out of ten, before winning their semi-final. It is Trinbago's fourth crown, having won as Trinbago Red Steel in 2015 before the franchise changed its name. 

Whereas Guyana Amazon Warriors lost in the final after achieving the same perfect run in 2019, Trinbago – led by head coach Brendon McCullum – were never likely to follow suit.

Victory over St Lucia came without star allrounder Sunil Narine, who was missing through injury, but veteran opener Lendl Simmons finished unbeaten on 84 as Pollard’s men waltzed past their 155 target for the loss of just two wickets, with 11 balls to spare.

Earlier in the game, Dwayne Bravo wasn’t even required to bowl as Pollard – West Indies’ white-ball captain as well these days – took 4 for 30 with his medium pace, while spin trio Akeal Hosein, Khary Pierre and Fawad Ahmed proved effective.

After getting off to a flying start – Zouks were 77 for 1 in the ninth over before losing Mark Deyal to Ahmed, Trinbago hauled their opponents back in.

A score that looked as though it might set up an intriguing challenge for the runaway group-winners became a total that Pollard’s side – with Zimbabwe allrounder Sikandar Raza batting at No.7 – chased with ease.

One over from Afghan wrist-spinner Zahir Khan cost 23 runs, while another from leg-spinner Javelle Glenn cost 15. And while Roston Chase – impressive throughout the tournament – bowled his four overs for just 13 runs, Simmons and Darren Bravo were on hand to add an unbroken stand of 138 in less than 15 overs to see them to a fully merited title.

The Cricketer's coverage of the CPL comes in collaboration with the Caribbean Cricket Podcast