Barbados Royals Clinch Second Consecutive Women’s Caribbean Premier League Title

Match Report

The Barbados Royals added to the CPL title which they won in 2023 by defeating the Trinbago Knight Riders by four runs in an exciting final at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, Trinidad, on Thursday.

Match Highlights

The Royals limited the Knight Riders to 93 for eight in their 20 overs, before suffering a middle-order collapse to limp to 94 for six from 15 overs. Captain Hayley Matthews and opener Chamari Athapaththu motored to 48-0 after just six overs in pursuit of a tiny target. However, off-spinner Samara Ramnath accounted for Matthews for 13, and Anisa Mohammed caught Aaliyah Alleyne for two, leaving the Royals 66-2 in the 10th over.

Cruising on 85-3 in the 13th over, the Royals lost the wickets of Laura Harris, Rashada Williams, and Chinelle Henry for adding just two runs to give the Knight Riders hope of snatching an unbelievable victory. However, Athapaththu held her nerve to guide the Royals over the line with an unbeaten 39 from 47 balls, along with Afy Fletcher, who scored four not out.

Earlier Innings

After losing the toss and being sent into bat, the Knight Riders never found their groove and were undermined by Alleyne’s medium pace. Their captain and star batter, Deandra Dottin, made just eight before being dismissed by Matthews, and Chinelle Henry had Jemimah Rodrigues caught and bowled for two as the Knight Riders stumbled to 10-2 early on.

The highlight of their innings was a 43-run partnership between Jannillea Glasgow and Shikha Pandey, albeit at a run rate of less than five runs an over. Alleyne took over proceedings by capturing four of the next five Knight Rider wickets to fall, including Glasgow for 24, Pandey (28), Chedean Nation (1), and Zaida James for one, as the Knight Riders crumbled to 72-7 at the end of the 16th over.

Conclusion

The Barbados Royals’ victory was sealed with Athapaththu’s unbeaten 39 and Afy Fletcher’s four not out. Alleyne ended with 4-21 from her four overs, while Matthews chipped in with 2-13 from her four overs.