Terrance Hinds smashed a six off the penultimate delivery as Trinbago Knight Riders ended Barbados Royals’ unbeaten record in the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) after a nerve-jangling two-wicket victory at Kensington Oval on Friday.

Chasing 157, the Knight Riders needed 11 runs off the final over and appeared headed for defeat when Akeal Hosein fell off the third delivery with six runs still required.

But Jason Holder bowled a waist high full toss and on the subsequent delivery Hinds whacked a six down the ground off the free hit. The Knight Riders now move alongside the Royals with a 3-1 record.

The Royals had struggled to handle Knight Riders’ spinners and managed to post 156/7 thanks to an unbeaten 59 from 38 balls from skipper Rovman Powell.

The Knight Riders, last year’s finalists, elected to field and looked to continue their dominance over the Royals having beaten them twice last season.

The Royals made a disastrous start when opener Rahkeem Cornwall made his third straight duck after falling off the second delivery of the innings. Hosein struck again just two balls later when he trapped Alick Athanaze for a duck.

Quinton de Kock and Rivaldo Clarke consolidated before the South African was knocked over by a perfect wrong’un from Waqar Salamkheil to halt the Royals, who soon lost Holder for a duck.

The Royals struggled for boundaries in the middle overs before David Miller collared Hosein with a massive six over extra cover in the 13th over. Miller’s cameo ended at the hands of Salamkheil, who finished with a superb 3/13.

Powell had little of the strike before taking over with a slew of sixes, including off seamer Jayden Seales in the last over to reach his half-century in style.

The Knight Riders, who had strategised chasing amid dewy conditions, similarly had a poor start when Sunil Narine holed out to spinner Maheesh Theekshana on the first ball.

Opener Jason Roy started with a couple of glorious drives before being bamboozled by Theekshana to leave the contest delicately poised. After a brief rain delay, Shaqkere Parris was dropped on nine by Holder off Theekshana as Nicholas Pooran took control to steady the Knight Riders.

But his breezy 23-ball 35 ended with a spectacular double act in the deep when Powell caught the ball before flicking it to Holder just before he went over the boundary.

Parris had support from Keacy Carty as the Knight Riders appeared well on track needing 51 off 36 balls. The reintroduction of Theekshana in the 15th over did the trick as he lured Parris into a false shot triggering a collapse from the Knight Riders.

It set up a grandstand finish until Hinds’ late heroics stunned the local fans.

Nyeem Young kept his composure at the death as Barbados Royals broke the hearts of St Kitts & Nevis Patriots with a thrilling two-wicket victory in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

The Royals appeared set for a crushing win when they reduced the Patriots to 0/3 before weathering a rapid 82-run partnership between Wanindu Hasaranga and Mikyle Louis.

After restricting the Patriots to 153/8 at Warner Park, the Royals lost Rahkeem Cornwall and Quinton de Kock early and the match was at a knife’s edge throughout a nerve-jangling chase.

Needing eight runs off the last over bowled by Ryan John, the Royals’ nerves heightened when Jason Holder fell off the first ball after a superb catch at deep backward square by Josh Clarkson.

But Young luckily inside edged to the boundary off the third ball before smashing a brilliant six over mid-off on the penultimate delivery as the Royals won consecutive games to start the season

It was their fifth straight victory against the Patriots, who are at the foot of the table with just one win.

The Patriots made a poor start after being sent in to bat when their top three batters were dismissed for ducks—the first time that has occurred in CPL history.

Spinner Maheesh Theekshana started the carnage on the second ball of the innings when he pinned Evin Lewis lbw. Two balls later, Theekshana produced a cracking delivery that spun sharply and through the defences of Kyle Mayers, who trudged off in disbelief.

The Patriots lost their third wicket when Andre Fletcher was lbw to Dunith Wellalage before the match suddenly flipped through a counterattack from Hasaranga and Louis as the Royals suddenly struggled for control amid an onslaught.

Naveen-ul-Haq was on the receiving end and leaked 16 runs to cap a madcap PowerPlay.

But Louis holed out in the ninth over leading to another collapse where the Patriots also lost Sherfane Rutherford and Hasaranga in the space of six balls.

It could have been worse for the Patriots when Clarkson was given out lbw to Theekshana before he successfully reviewed. Clarkson struggled to get going, but batted through to the end and received support from John who smacked 29 off 14 balls.

Just like the Patriots, the Royals lost a wicket on the second ball after Mayers knocked over Cornwall for a duck. Speedster Anrich Nortje had compatriot de Kock wincing in pain after a blow to the body before the batter hit back with a six over fine leg.

De Kock was cleaned bowled in the fifth over by Mayers, who had patiently persisted around the wicket.

Wellalage battled calmly through the middle overs before Young’s late heroics sealed a thrilling triumph for the Royals.

Suryakumar Yadav scored the winning runs as India confirmed a whitewash over Sri Lanka in the final game of their T20I series at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. 

In a game that Sri Lanka started brightly, India ultimately proved too strong as they continued their impressive record over their opponents in this format. 

India's openers endured a difficult start to the encounter, as Yashasvi Jaiswal (10) Sanju Samson (0) and Rinku Singh (1) all fell inside the first four overs. 

Shubman Gill would top score for the Men in Blue with 39 runs from 37 deliveries as Maheesh Theekshana starred with the ball in hand, taking 3-28 as Sri Lanka restricted their opponents to 137-9. 

Kusal Mendis (43) and Kusal Perera (46) would give Sri Lanka an excellent start to their chase, losing just two wickets in the first 16 overs of the contest. 

But with time running out, India's bowlers stepped up the pressure and claimed six wickets from the final four overs. Needing just six runs from the final over, Yadav's bowling display forced a super over. 

Washington Sundar was given the responsibility to deliver, and he claimed two wickets in three balls with Sri Lanka finished the super over having scored just two. 

Yadav would waste no time in sealing the win, smashing a four from the opening ball to secure a 3-0 series win. 

Data Debrief: India continue Sri Lanka dominance

India have now won five of their last six men’s T20Is against Sri Lanka (L1), including the last four on the bounce.  

The Men in Blue have won all of their four men’s T20Is against Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

Sri Lanka have now lost their last three men's T20Is at Pallekele, the second time they have done so in their history (three loses from September 2016 to September 2019). 

Johnson Charles and Maheesh Theekshana were the catalysts as the Sharjah Warriors moved into second on the International League T20 (IL T20) points table with a dominant nine-wicket win over the Dubai Capitals at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Dubai on Monday.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, the Capitals were reduced to just 104 all out off 18.2 overs.

Sikandar Raza (22), Roelof van der Merwe (21), David Warner (16) and Rovman Powell (10) were the only Capitals batsmen to scratch double figures.

Theekshana produced a masterful spell of bowling to take 4-20 from his four overs while being well supported by Daniel Sams’ 3-28 off four.

The Warriors then needed only 13-1 overs to reach 105-1 and secure their third win in five games.

Charles top-scored with an unbeaten 43 off 33 balls including four fours and one six. Joe Denly was Charles’ partner at the crease with an unbeaten 23 off 16 balls. Earlier, Niroshan Dickwella made a 30-ball 37.