Denesh Ramdin and Kevon Cooper held their nerves in a low-scoring encounter, as Trinbago Knight Riders defeated St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by three wickets to win their second Caribbean Premier League title on Sunday.
Lap of honor "TKR are the CPL 2017 champions" pic.twitter.com/j7E2BsyWKb
— CPL T20 (@CPL) September 10, 2017
The Patriots were looking primed to lay their hands on the trophy when Patriots were reduced to 90 for seven in pursuit of a modest 136. The match seemed to be heading just one way when Sheldon Cottrell conceded only five runs off the first five balls of the 18th over, leaving Knight Riders to score 28 runs off the final 13.
The match, however, turned on its head when Cooper hit the last ball of the 18th over for a six to bring the equation down to 22 from the last two overs.
Poor bowling from Ben Hilfenhaus and an assaulting hitting from Cooper then sealed the fate of the game in Knight Riders’ favour. With 22 needed, Ramdin took a single off the first ball of the penultimate over which put Cooper on strike before Hilfenhaus bowled two costly wides outside off. It was followed by a double before the Australian all but conceded the game when his no-ball was dispatched for a six over cover by Cooper.
The six was followed by two fours and a couple of singles, as Knight Riders won their second CPL title and the first since they changed their name, following their first title as Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel in 2015.
Cooper six #CPLfinal #SKPvTKR #Biggestpartyinsport pic.twitter.com/xYpJBYS2ah
— CPL T20 (@CPL) September 10, 2017
Earlier, the Patriots failed to post a big total due to losing wickets at regular intervals. The innings began in a worst-possible manner for them, as Chris Gayle was sent back by Searles for just one. Half of the team was back in the pavilion when the score was only 65 before Carlos Brathwaite’s 25-ball 30, and Mohammad Nabi’s five-ball 18 helped the Patriots to post a respectable total.
Trinbago Knight Riders 136 for seven (Munro 29, Cooper 29*, Hafeez 2-19) beat St Kitts and Nevis Patriots 135 for 6 (Brathwaite 30, Cooper 2-12, Searles 2-29) by three wickets.
Kolkata Knight Riders captain Gautam Gambhir too wished the side for winning the title on Twitter.
Congrats to my ‘Caribbean cousins’ @TKRiders on winning @CPL, party like never before @SunilPNarine74 @VenkyMysore @DJBravo47 @KKRiders
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) September 10, 2017