Pollard and Pooran fifties power Knight Riders to fifth straight win

Kieron Pollard and Nicholas Pooran's whirlwind half-centuries helped Trinbago Knight Riders extend their dominance at the top of the points table with a 12-run win against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in Tarouba on Monday.

Sent in, Knight Riders found themselves in early trouble, reduced to 27 for 2 in the fifth over and then 78 for 3 in the 11th. But Pollard and Pooran launched a massive counterattack, adding 90 runs in 8.1 overs to take them to 179 for 6. Patriots started the chase strongly, but soon withered away with seamer Nathan Edward picking up 3 for 30 in 3.2 overs and Mohammad Amir returning 2 for 29.

This was Knight Riders' fifth straight win at CPL 2025, making it six out of seven victories for them so far this season. Patriots, meanwhile, suffered their third successive loss. They have now lost six of their last seven matches and are fifth on the points table.

Knight Riders lost Colin Munro and Alex Hales inside the powerplay, with Jason Holder and left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd striking. Pooran wasn't going to hang back, though. He thrashed Nedd for three sixes in his first five balls to wrest the momentum, and while Darren Bravo struggled at the other end, Pooran continued to charge.

But even Pooran took a backseat when Pollard arrived. The allrounder smashed three sixes in a Navin Bidaisee over to get going. In the next over, he went after Waqar Salamkheil, pummelling him for four successive sixes to race to his fifty in 21 balls, which included eight sixes and no fours.

By the time Pollard fell, Knight Riders were closing in on 170. A five-run last over from Holder prevented TKR from breaching the 180-mark, but it was going to be an uphill task for Patriots.

Evin Lewis and Andre Fletcher started briskly, adding 96 runs for the opening wicket in 10.4 overs. While Lewis scored a 25-ball 42, Fletcher scored 67 off 54 balls, but there were hardly any contributions from the rest of the batters after the two were dismissed.

Amir got rid of Alick Athanaze and Holder, but limped off four balls into his fourth over - the 19th of this innings - clutching his groin and in visible pain. Edward, who had earlier dismissed Lewis, Kyle Mayers and Jyd Coolie, completed the over.

Patriots required 27 off their last over and while offspinner Usman Tariq conceded a six off the first ball, he pulled things back as Knight Riders restricted Patriots to 167 for 6.