By Vidia Ramphal
The Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League 2025 is building toward its grand crescendo, and the Trinbago Knight Riders have ensured they will be part of it.
On Friday night at the Providence Stadium in Guyana, the four-time champions stormed into yet another final with a 56-run dismantling of defending champions, the Saint Lucia Kings.
It was a performance that showcased balance, depth, and big-game experience. Batting power, spin guile, and killer instinct combined to sweep aside a Kings side that, for the first six overs, dared to dream of defending their crown.
TALKING POINTS
Pooran’s Golden Touch
Nicholas Pooran’s bat has been glowing this tournament, and against the Kings he once again played the role of aggressor and innovator. His 50 off 32 balls was laced with fearless strokeplay, igniting the innings after an early wobble. Awarded Player of the Match, and following his unbeaten 90 in Eliminator 1, Pooran looks like a man made for the big stage.
Hales the Anchor
While Pooran lit up the middle overs, Alex Hales was patient, content to play the long game. His calculated, unbeaten 58 gave Trinbago both stability and late acceleration. By the time Kieron Pollard (35) and Andre Russell (28) applied their familiar finishing touches, TKR had muscled their way to 194 for 4 — a total that screamed finals cricket.
Pollard and Russell’s Death-Hitting
Even though Pooran and Hales laid the platform, the final flourish came from Pollard and Russell. Their explosive cameos, worth 55 runs in the last five overs, turned a good total into a match-winning one. Without that late surge, the Knight Riders might have ended 20–25 runs short.
Spin Strangles the Kings
Saint Lucia’s chase began with promise. Tim Seifert’s aggression and Johnson Charles’ steady support carried them to 44 without loss in the PowerPlay. But once the field spread, the Knight Riders unleashed their spinners — and the match flipped on its head.
Usman Tariq bowled with flight and bite, snaring 4 for 35, including the crucial scalps of Tim David and Akeem Auguste in consecutive deliveries. Sunil Narine, ever the magician, returned remarkable figures of 3 for 18. Alongside Akeal Hosein, they stitched a web the Kings could not escape. In a crucial 5.2-over spell without a boundary, Saint Lucia’s title defense crumbled.
Captaincy Tactics
The way TKR’s captain rotated his bowlers was pivotal. By introducing Narine and Tariq just as the Kings looked settled, he cut off scoring options and forced errors. The Kings, by contrast, appeared short of answers when Pollard and Russell were finishing their innings.
Catches and Fielding Pressure
Trinbago’s fielding intensity stood out. Smart catching and sharp ground fielding kept the Kings’ batters under constant pressure. Saurabh Netravalkar’s diving catch to dismiss Johnson Charles was the standout example. In contrast, the Kings dropped a half-chance to remove Hales early — a miss that proved costly.
Failure of the Kings’ Middle Order
The Kings desperately needed one of their senior middle-order players — Tim David, Roston Chase, or David Wiese — to play a big innings. Instead, wickets tumbled quickly, and no batter took responsibility after Seifert’s bright start.
A Familiar Rivalry Renewed
With victory secured, all eyes now turn to Sunday’s final, where Trinbago Knight Riders will lock horns with the Guyana Amazon Warriors. It is a rivalry laced with history. In 2018, TKR lifted the trophy at home. In 2023, Guyana got their revenge in Providence. Now, the third act awaits — a fitting decider between the two most consistent sides of the modern CPL era.
VERDICT
As the Saint Lucia Kings trudged off, their crown slipping, the Knight Riders’ camp erupted in celebration. Pooran, Hales, Pollard, Russell, Tariq, Narine — the names rolled off the scoreboard like a championship roster. And perhaps that is what they already are.
For the Knight Riders, this is more than another final. It is another chance to etch themselves deeper into Caribbean cricket’s folklore. For Guyana, it is an opportunity to prove that 2023 was no fluke.
Two giants. One trophy. A packed Providence Stadium will bear witness on Sunday night. Whatever happens, this CPL will end where it belongs — in drama, passion, and the echoing roar of West Indian cricket.
