In-form Saint Lucia Kings will lock horns with four-time champions Trinbago Knight Riders in their eighth match of the Caribbean Premier League 2022 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday, September 18.
Led by talismanic captain Faf du Plessis, the Kings will head into the crucial CPL 2022 encounter against the Knight Riders brimming with confidence, having defeated St Kitts & Nevis Patriots by 49 runs in their previous fixture to register back-to-back victories over the same opposition in the ongoing T20 tournament.
With six points from seven matches, the Daren Sammy-coached Kings are currently placed fourth in the CPL 2022 standings, just two points behind second-placed Jamaica Tallawahs, who have played one game more.
On the other hand, Trinbago Knight Riders are also on a two-match winning streak, having beaten Jamaica Tallawahs and Guyana Amazon Warriors in their last two matches in CPL 2022.
Under the captaincy of Kieron Pollard, the Knight Riders will be oozing with confidence, having beaten Jamaica Tallawahs by four wickets in a thrilling encounter on Saturday.
Chasing a paltry target of 117, Kieron Pollard’s men were reduced to 95-6 in 16.1 overs before Andre Russell’s unbeaten 12-ball 18 and Akeal Hosein’s valuable contribution of 14 not out off 19 balls helped the Knight Riders chase down the total in 19.1 overs.
Previously, Fabien Allen’s impressive fifty (50 off 35 balls) guided the Tallawahs to 116/7 in their 20 overs.
However, the star-studded Knight Riders’ batting department has struggled in CPL 2022 so far. Only Colin Munro (124 runs) and Tim Seifert have managed to accumulate over 100 runs in the T20 tournament so far.
The likes of Andre Russell, Nicholas Pooran and Kieron Pollard are yet to showcase their best form in the tenth season of CPL.
In the bowling department, pacer Ravi Rampaul has been the standout bowler for the Knight Riders, picking nine wickets in six matches at an average of 16.44. Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein has bagged eight wickets while right-arm off-spinner Sunil Narine has registered seven dismissals.
Coached by Abhishek Nayar, the Knight Riders are placed third in the CPL standings with seven points from as many games, just a point ahead of the Kings. Meanwhile, Barbados Royals are currently leading the standings with 12 points from seven matches.
Saint Lucia Kings vs Trinbago Knight Riders head-to-head
Trinbago Knight Riders have a dominant head-to-head record against Saint Lucia Kings in the Caribbean Premier League, winning 15 of the 19 matches that they have played so far. The Kings have secured two victories while two matches have been abandoned.
The last time these two sides met, the Knight Riders secured a three-wicket win over the Kings at Warner Park in the ongoing CPL earlier this month.
Saint Lucia Kings will aim to continue their winning momentum against the high-flying Trinbago Knight Riders in order to stay in contention for a CPL 2022 playoff spot.
