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CPL 2021 | SKNP vs SLK: Inconsistent Kings run into red-hot Patriots at halfway stage

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The St Kits and Navis Patriots have been the team to beat in the ongoing edition of the Caribbean Premier League and they have always found a way to come back in the game and win it. No wonder they have had a 100 per cent win record this year from five matches and when all seemed to be over in the last game, it was Sheldon Cottrell of all people who smashed the ball over the fence to earn an unlikely win for the Patriots.

On the other hand, their opponent in the next game, the St Lucia Kings have had an on and off-season having won just two games out of the four and losing as many as winning. Unlike Patriots, the Kings have not been clinical in their approach and have also missed the match-winning contributions to turn the tide in their favour.

The Patriots will rely on Evin Lewis to provide a blitzkrieg start at the top of the order while the job of stopping the Kings batsmen will fall on the old and experienced shoulders of the skipper Dwayne Bravo. The men in form Sherfane Rutherford and Dominic Drakes will hope to continue their dream run of form they have found this season.

The universe boss Chris Gayle has not come to the party yet and Bravo would bank on him to win some matches this year as well. If he gets going the unbeatne streak for the Patriots is more than likely to continue against the Kings.

For the Kings, Roston Chase and Andre Fletcher will be the most experienced players going around and the team will expect a lot from them if they have to win more matches than losing this year.

The presence of Faf du Plessis in the Kings camp enriches the side with a lot of experience but it has not translated into substantial performances and the side will be hoping to fix things from here on.

St Kitts and Nevis Patriots vs Barbados Royals

Match Number: 15

Date and Time: September 04, 2021, 07:30 PM IST, 2:30 pm GMT

Venue: Warner Park, Basseterre

Broadcast: Star Sports

Live Stream: Fancode

Pitch and weather

All the matches of the CPL 2021 were scheduled to take place at the same venue Warner Park and the pitch has started to show signs of overuse. The pace in the pitch is starting to die down and it provided bowlers such as Bravo, who relies on variation in pace magnificent opportunity.

The weather at Warner Park will be humid and will test players’ endurance. There is little to no chance of rain and it should be a cracker of a contest.

Probable XI

St Kitts and Nevis Patriots

Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Devon Thomas (wk), Ravi Bopara, Sherfane Rutherford, Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo (c), Dominic Drakes, Paul van Meekeren, Naseem Shah/Fawad Ahmed, Sheldon Cottrell.

St Lucia Kings

Andre Fletcher (wk), Faf du Plessis (c), Roston Chase, Mark Deyal, Tim David, Samit Patel, Keron Cottoy/Rakheem Cornwall, Alzarri Joseph, Jeavor Royal, Obed McCoy, Kesrick Williams.

Fantasy XI

Andre Fletcher (WK), Roston Chase, Faf du Plessis, Sherfane Rutherford, Evin Lewis (C), DJ Bravo(VC), Fabian Allen, Obed McCoy, Sheldon Cottrell, Dominic Drakes, Kesrick Williams

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Some decisions are life-changing: Mortaza praises Tamim Iqbal for opting out of World Cup

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