Patriots win maiden CPL Crown

St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots won their first-ever CPLT20 trophy after securing a nail-biting three wicket victory over St. Lucia Kings in a last-ball thriller at Warner Park Sporting Complex last week.

Batting first, the Kings made 159/7, led by knocks from Roston Chase and Rahkeem Cornwall, who both scored 43 each and a late cameo from Keeno Paul (39).

However, an early 45-run partnership from  23-year-old Joshua da Silva (37) and Sherfane Rutherford (25) backed by a game-changing 44-run stance from Fabian Allen (20) and Dominic Drakes (48 not out)  in the final overs propelled in an exciting win.

Needing one run from the final ball of the innings, Drakes, who hit 48 from 24 balls (three sixes and three fours) hit Kesrick William final delivery and for four to snatch the winning  run alongside 18-year-old Pakistani teammate, Naheem Shah (one not out).

Although a first-time CPL Twenty20 victory for the franchise, this was Captain Dwayne Bravo’s fifth of the nine-year tournament making him the only player to achieve such a feat.

The previous times Bravo won the crown were when the then Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel (2015) and then rebranded Trinbago Knight Riders (2017, 2018, and 2020.)

This was Bravo’s 500th Twenty20 match of his illustrious career.

This was the second consecutive year that St. Lucia Kings finished as runners-up.

Last year they lost out to TKR in the final match.

He praised his teammates, including Vice Captain, Evin Williams, who scored more than 200 runs in the tournament.