PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Left-hander Nicholas Pooran lashed a second Caribbean Premier League hundred as Trinbago Knight Riders rebounded from Tuesday’s defeat to Guyana Amazon Warriors with an emphatic 42-run win over Barbados Royals.
Left-hander Nicholas Pooran goes airborne as he hits through the off side during his unbeaten 102 on Wednesday night. (Photo courtesy CPLT20/Getty Images)Pooran’s magical unbeaten 102 from just 53 balls laid the foundation for the home side’s 208 for six off 20 overs, and Royals were never really in the contest despite opener Kyle Mayers’s 70 from 45 deliveries, limping to 166 for seven in reply.
Left-arm spinners Waqar Salamkheil (2-18) and Akeal Hosein (2-21) proved the trump cards for TKR with stingy spells which strangled Royals.
With the win, TKR joined Amazon Warriors at the top of the table on nine points – having played two games more – while inconsistent Royals continued in fourth spot on seven points.
Sent in at Queen’s Park Oval here Wednesday, TKR lost Mark Deyal for six in the third over with 20 on the board but bounced back through the dazzling Pooran who unveiled an innings laced with five fours and ten sixes.
He put on 56 for the second wicket with Martin Guptill (37), and when the New Zealander and captain Kieron Pollard (2) perished in the space of three balls in the 10th over, added a further 28 for the fourth with Irishman Lorcan Tucker (8).
However, it was Pooran’s 82-run, fifth wicket partnership with Andre Russell, who made a 22-ball 39 with two fours and four sixes, which took the game away from Royals.
Pooran reached his fifty off 36 balls in the 15th over with a boundary to point off seamer Nyeem Young, before racing to triple figures off only another 15 deliveries.
Starting the final over from medium pacer Mayers on 86, Pooran cleared the ropes with the first two deliveries before depositing the fourth ball to the square leg fence, to raise his landmark.
Needing the type of effort that saw them chase down 221 in Bridgetown last weekend, Royals started badly when they lost key opener Rahkeem Cornwall for only four in the third over with the score on 13.
It was then left to Mayers, who crunched seven fours and five sixes, to lead the Royals effort, the left-hander adding 41 for the second wicket with Laurie Evans (20) and 36 for the third with captain Rovman Powell (9).
But the scoring was sluggish and by the time Mayers holed out to long on off fast bowler Ali Khan in the 15th over, Royals were struggling on 109 for four and facing a burdensome required run rate of over 18.
Roelof van der Merwe (20) and Jason Holder (19) struck a few lusty blows for the sake of pride but the game was long gone.
