The cricketing extravaganza will be back in the West Indies this week, with the ninth season of the HERO Caribbean Premier League set to begin on August 26. The action kicks off with a game between champions Trinbago Knight Riders and the Guyana Amazon Warriors.
Last season’s other finalists Saint Lucia Kings will have to wait till August 27 to play their first game, when they take on the Jamaica Tallawahs in the morning game of the day. Here’s a look at what we can expect from that tryst against the Tallawahs.
Head-to-head record
Saint Lucia Kings | Jamaica Tallawahs |
6 | 9 |
The Tallawahs have a better head-to-head record over the Kings, but it was the team from Saint Lucia that emerged triumphant in the last encounter between these two sides. The Kings managed to get to the final last time around, while the Tallawahs finished fifth in the league.
Both sides have added plenty of new faces for the season, and one can expect a close contest come Friday as the Kings and the Tallawahs would both want to start the 2021 Caribbean Premier League on a winning note.
Watch out for:
Roston Chase was the leading run getter for the Saint Lucia Kings in 2020, and would hope to carry on that momentum in this new season as well. The 29-year-old provides some much needed stability in that middle-order, and is well suited to counter attack bowlers on the spin friendly tracks on offer at St.Kitts & Nevis Islands grounds.
Faf Du Plessis has been a standout performer in franchise tournaments all around the world, with the only exception arguably being the CPL. The Saint Lucia Kings captain scored just 179 runs in ten games in the 2016 season, and would be looking to make amends by upping his average and strike rate this season. Fresh off the back of stints in The Hundred and the Pakistan Super League, the former South African skipper will be eager to lead the charge for the Kings in CPL 2021.
Opponent Corner
With big hitters Andre Russell and Carlos Brathwaite in their roster, the Jamaica Tallawahs possess the powers to turn games around in those middle overs. Both of them had a rather quiet 2020 season, and the Tallawahs fans would be hoping that they come good this time around.
Apart from that, the Tallawahs have roped in Shakib Al Hasan to strengthen their top order, and also have local talents like Jason Mohammed and Fidel Edwards who can be a handful on their day.
Probable XI: Andre Fletcher (wk), Rahkeem Cornwall, Faf Du Plessis (c), Mark Deyal, Roston Chase, Tim David, Keemo Paul, Javelle Glen, Usman Qadir, Kesrick Williams, Obed McCoy.
With the entire roster available for selection, the Kings would probably pick their most experienced players for this first game. The openers alongside Deyal and Chase performed admirably last season, and will likely retain their spots. The bowling attack too will have a good mix of pace and spin with Usman Qadir probably being picked ahead of Wahab Riaz.
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.
