2:53 pm That wraps it up from the first game in today's doubleheader. Shashank Kishore has already started coverage for the first qualifying final between the undefeated Guyana Amazon Warriors and Barbados Tridents, with the toss moments away. I'll be joining him later on commentary. Thanks for joining coverage of this match and be sure to flip over to that one to stay locked into the CPL doubleheader. For Deiva Muthu, I'm Peter Della Penna. Take care!

Patriots captain Carlos Brathwaite: "I felt we were a bit timid to start. We wanted to be conservative and keep wickets in hand but I think we went too much in the opposite direction. Sunil is a world-class player but I think we showed him a little bit too much respect. It was a lack of momentum. Unfortunately that was one of our better bowling performances but we just didn't have enough runs to bowl at."

TKR captain Kieron Pollard: "We've been striving for this victory for the last two and a half weeks. We thought bowling first and restricting them to 123 should have been an easy walk but they made it difficult. I just want to thank the Guyana crowd for cheering me on. If I'm honest, that was exactly how not to chase 126 runs. Just too many dot balls. If a bowler is hitting a length, you have got to try moving around the crease and throw him off his length. You have to try something and do it differently. Having said that, they were experienced batters out there. There's things we need to work on as West Indian batsmen in terms of rotating the strike a lot more and it is something that has kept us back. In this game, people around the Caribbean can see what we need to work on."

Sunil Narine is Player of the Match: "[Bowling] was a little painful but I must give thanks to God for giving me the courage and motivation. We have a great support staff that has been treating me for the last week and a half so I must give thanks to them as well. I think [the pitch] helped the spinners a bit so it helped me in a way so that I didn't have to put too much pressure on the finger that was giving me problems. I think it was a total team effort. We needed this one. We get to play at home now so that's even more comfortable and we have the fans backing us. I'm leaving it up to the medical staff and the man above to give me the strength and courage to hopefully play one more and if we win, to the finals."

So Knight Riders have broken their six-match winless streak and will now face the loser of the upcoming qualifier between Barbados Tridents and Guyana Amazon Warriors. Crucially, that second qualifier match for TKR will be on home soil at Brian Lara Stadium on Thursday where they'll have a huge home crowd behind them.

2:34 pm TKR looked heavy favorites at the innings break but were struggling midway through the chase with Ramdin in particular soaking up a high number of dot balls. But Pollard is gonna make everyone wonder what all the fuss was about with a blistering cameo to keep the defending champs alive.

18.4
4
Brathwaite to Pollard, FOUR, Polly wants a semi-final! Full ball creamed through extra cover, beats the sweeper and TKR have iced this with 8 balls to spare! Patriots are knocked out!

Back over the stumps.

18.3
6
Brathwaite to Pollard, SIX, get the hard hats out in the crowd! Length ball on fifth stump, creamed flat over cow corner. Fans take evasive action as the ball dents the seats 20 rows back!
18.3
1w
Brathwaite to Pollard, 1 wide, attempted wide yorker, slanted too wide across the stumps, wide called.

Brathwaite goes around the wicket to Pollard now with TKR needing less than a run a ball now.

18.2
6
Brathwaite to Pollard, SIX, low full toss at shin height wide outside off again, Pollard has the muscle to crank this flat over long-on. Brathwaite cries catch it in vain as Evans watches it sail over his head.
18.1
1
Brathwaite to Ramdin, 1 run, low full toss wide outside off at shin height, Ramdin premeditates a paddle and shovels through midwicket.

END OF OVER:
18 | 11 Runs | TKR: 110/4 (16 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 6.11, RRR: 8.00)

  • Denesh Ramdin31 (37b)
  • Kieron Pollard10 (6b)
  • Rayad Emrit4-1-20-1
  • Sheldon Cottrell3-0-29-1

Anand: "Surprised to see not a single over from Hafeez on a slowish pitch which would rightly suit him.. Carlos missed a trick for sure." Definitely contrasting strategies here. TKR went spin heavy, only 7 overs of pace bowled in their innings. Patriots will have bowled out 3 pace bowlers with just 8 overs of spin.

17.6
1
Emrit to Ramdin, 1 run, full on fourth stump, driven to long-off.
17.5
1lb
Emrit to Pollard, 1 leg bye, full length ball into the pads, misses a flick and goes away into the leg side for a leg bye.
17.5
1w
Emrit to Pollard, 1 wide, attempted yorker wide down leg. Second in the over.
17.4
1
Emrit to Ramdin, 1 run, attempted yorker on middle, heaves a thick edged slog well short of deep midwicket.
17.3
4
Emrit to Ramdin, FOUR, length ball on middle, Ramdin premeditates a scoop over fine leg, up in the ring and times it perfectly.
17.2
1
Emrit to Pollard, 1 run, good length ball on middle, flicked to backward square leg.
17.1
1
Emrit to Ramdin, 1 run, length ball on middle, goes back to flick through midwicket.
17.1
1w
Emrit to Ramdin, 1 wide, full and down leg. Wide when the Patriots can ill afford it.

Emrit to bowl the 18th. Cottrell and Brathwaite each have one left.

END OF OVER:
17 | 18 Runs | TKR: 99/4 (27 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 5.82, RRR: 9.00)

  • Denesh Ramdin24 (33b)
  • Kieron Pollard9 (4b)
  • Sheldon Cottrell3-0-29-1
  • Carlos Brathwaite3-0-21-1

18-run over has put TKR back in control after the fall of Simmons, needing just 27 off 18.

16.6
1
Cottrell to Ramdin, 1 run, attempted yorker lands full on middle, pushed to long-on.
16.5
4
Cottrell to Ramdin, FOUR, slower ball lands full on off, Ramdin cracks a smoldering drive over Cottrell's head to split long-on and long-off easily.
16.4
6
Cottrell to Ramdin, SIX, goes short on the body, Ramdin anticipates this shuffling across his stumps to get inside the line and hooks this over long leg into the stands.

Trinbago 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st15LMP SimmonsSP Narine
2nd1LMP SimmonsC Munro
3rd15LMP SimmonsDM Bravo
4th47LMP SimmonsD Ramdin
5th50D RamdinKA Pollard