After a commanding win over the Saint Kitts & Nevis Patriots on Saturday, the Saint Lucia Kings would be licking their lips at the prospect of facing the same opposition once again on Sunday in the 2021 HERO Caribbean Premier League. The Patriots however have been exceptional thus far in the competition, and would be gunning for vengeance this time around. With plenty of match winners in either corner, one can expect another cracker of a contest come Sunday.
Head-to-head record
Saint Kitts & Nevis Patriots | Saint Lucia Kings |
5 wins | 6 wins |
The Saint Lucia Kings leapfrogged the Patriots in their head-to-head battle with that win on Saturday, but there is still very little to choose between these two franchises. The Kings have the winning momentum now on their side, but the Patriots cannot be discounted given they started the 2021 CPL season with five wins on the trot. Currently ranked 1 and 2 respectively, both teams would be eager to put on a strong show in this top of the table league clash.
Watch out for
Faf Du Plessis announced himself in the CPL with that enigmatic ton on Saturday against one of the most respected bowling attacks. He would without a doubt be the most feared batsman now for any opposition teams, and another big score from the Kings skipper will definitely put them in good stead to make it to the semi finals now.
Roston Chase’s purple patch in T20 cricket seems to have continued into the weekend, as he picked up consecutive fifties to become the leading run getter for his franchise. The 29-year-old has been getting his runs at a good strike rate, making him a thorn for all opposition bowlers. Given his current form, the Kings management would be optimistic for a third fifty on the trot now for Chase come Sunday.
Opponent Corner
The established players in the Patriots roster like Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Fabian Allen had an off day on Saturday against the Kings, but could nevertheless be dangerous in the return fixture between these two teams. The Kings would also be wary of Evin Lewis, who is currently the leading run getter of CPL 2021, and was the lone player to get a fifty for the Patriots on Saturday despite the rest of his teammates not contributing much to the total.
On the bowling front, the pace duo of Sheldon Cottrell and Naseem Shah could cause problems to any batsmen if they get their lengths right come Sunday.
Probable XI: Andre Fletcher (wk), Faf Du Plessis (c), Keron Cottoy, Roston Chase, Tim David, Samit Patel, Keemo Paul, Wahab Riaz, Alzarri Joseph, Kesrick Williams, Jeavor Royal.
With such a commanding win in their previous game, the Kings are unlikely to tweak their team when they come up against the Patriots once again on Sunday. The decision to play an extra bowler came in handy with Keemo Paul getting back to his groove with three wickets in this game, and the Kings management would trust this combination to come good once again.
NOTE:The aforementioned line-up is an educated guess at best, and the final decision rests with the captain and the team management depending on various external factors.
