“Defending title tougher than winning it the first time” – Imran Tahir eye for second CPL title as they take on ST Lucia Kings

Defending CPL champion Amazon Warriors are set to lock horns with the St Lucia Kings in the second playoffs of the Caribbean Premier League.

The match between Amazon Warriors and St Lucia Kings is scheduled to take place at 4:30 AM (IST) on the 3rd of September 2024 at the Providence Stadium in Guyana.

The Warriors finished the group stage at the top of the CPL table. Meanwhile, the Kings finished second on the points table. Naturally, it is going to be a clash of the titans in CPL 2024. This match can turn out to be a virtual final.

“We had to do a lot of hard work to win the competition like this team are very strong and very good opponent. We are proud of that last year we won. I think coming back and defending the title is a bigger challenge and we are ready for that challenge as we have a confident team when we go to the playoffs.” says warriors captain Imarn Tahir

Eliminator: Trinbago Knight Riders vs Barbados Royals

Though Nicholas Pooran’s barnstorming century was not enough for Trinbago Knight Riders to secure a top-two slot, they can draw some positives from their win in the final league match of CPL 2024. Despite the injury-enforced absence of Sunil Narine and despite being the last team to play in the Guyana leg, TKR managed to breach fortress Providence this season.

It remains to be seen whether Narine has recovered enough to return in the playoffs. TKR also had to contend with injuries to Andre Russell and Dwayne Bravo – who has now retired from all cricket – at various points during the season. This has left Kieron Pollard scrambling for options – Tim David, for example, bowled with the new ball when TKR last met Barbados Royals in Tarouba last week. If Narine isn’t fit yet, will TKR run the risk of handing local offspinner Bryan Charles a T20 debut in a knockout game?

All eyes will be on Pooran once again. He’s already had a record-breaking year – his 2160 runs in 2024 is already the most by a batter in a calendar year in T20 cricket – and he’s now two sixes away from surpassing Chris Gayle’s sixes tally in the CPL. His familiarity with the Providence pitch, having played for and captained Amazon Warriors in the past, could serve TKR well.

As for Royals, their run has mirrored that of their parent franchise – Rajasthan Royals – in the IPL. After having been the early pace-setters with five wins in their first six games, they ran out of gas and lost four in a row. Captain Rovman Powell’s batting struggles – 137 runs in eight innings at an average of 22.83 and strike rate of 117.09 – haven’t helped. That strike rate drops to 91.66 against spin.

The South Africa pair of Quinton de Kock, who is currently the highest run-getter this season, and David Miller will have to do the heavy-lifting with the bat.

Royals’ bowling attack looks in much healthier shape with Maheesh Theekshana, Keshav Maharaj, Naveen-ul-Haq and Jason Holder all doing the job for them at different stages. Unless Royals’ batters back up their bowling, TKR are favourites to make it 3-0 against them this season.

Qualifier 1: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs St Lucia Kings

Imran Tahir is 45 and continues to rock the CPL. His legbreaks and wrong’uns in particular continue to befuddle batters and his celebrations have been as lively as ever. Along with Gudakesh Motie, the left-arm fingerspinner, and Moeen Ali, the offspinner, Tahir has ensured that Providence remains Amazon Warriors’ fortress. Dwaine Pretorius’ slower cutters have also suited the slow, low surfaces in Guyana.

Like Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, Amazon Warriors have constructed a squad with a variety of spin options and a number of spin-hitters. The last time Amazon Warriors faced St Lucia Kings at Providence, during the weekend, Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope bossed the middle overs to all but confirm their top-two spot.

Hetmyer against Khary Pierre and Noor Ahmad could be a key match-up that could influence the rest of the game. Hetmyer has been particularly severe on left-arm spinners this CPL, taking them for 106 runs off 50 balls at a strike rate of 212. Hetmyer has also been dismissed by left-arm spin six times in ten innings, but that hasn’t stopped him from lining them up.

Kings captain Faf du Plessis suffered from cramps while batting against Amazon Warriors but coach Daren Sammy suggested that du Plessis will be ready for the rematch against the defending champions in the playoffs. Like Tahir, du Plessis is still going strong in his 40s and has forged a potent partnership at the top with Johnson Charles, who has reinvented himself at 35 by adding the switch-hit to his repertoire.

On Saturday, however, Kings perhaps missed a trick by not promoting the left-handed Shadrack Descarte to counter Tahir and Motie, who dominated the right-hand heavy Kings middle order. So, keep an eye on how Kings use Descarte or Ackeem Auguste in the middle order against Amazon Warriors’ spinners.

In CPL 2023, Kings lacked a gun wristspinner, but they remedied it this season by recruiting Afghanistan’s Noor, who has been largely un-hittable, thanks to his bag of variations. He will have to continue his terrific form if Kings are to secure their maiden CPL title.

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