Providence (Guyana): The Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) showcased a dominant performance as they advanced to the second qualifier of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) by defeating the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons on Tuesday, September 16, in Guyana. Skipper Nicholas Pooran led the charge with an impressive unbeaten 90 runs off just 53 deliveries, helping his side chase down a target of 167 with nine wickets in hand and 15 balls to spare.
Saurabh Netravalkar had a standout bowling performance, but it was Sunil Narine’s wicket of Falcons’ captain Imad Wasim that etched him into the record books as the leading wicket-taker in CPL history. With this wicket, Narine claimed his 130th scalp in the tournament, overtaking West Indies T20 great Dwayne Bravo, who has retired. Imran Tahir, with 125 wickets, is now Narine’s closest competitor and trails him by five wickets.
Most Wickets in CPL
- 130 – Sunil Narine (GAW/TKR), in 122 innings
- 129 – Dwayne Bravo (SKNP/TKR), in 97 innings
- 125 – Imran Tahir (GAW), in 87 innings
- 110 – Jason Holder (BR/SKNP), in 112 innings
- 98 – Andre Russell (JT/TKR), in 99 innings
Although Narine has struggled for wickets this tournament, his prowess in restricting runs during crucial middle overs has been vital for TKR. Despite conceding 36 runs on this occasion, teammates Usman Tariq and Netravalkar delivered tight spells that contained the Falcons, preventing them from setting a more challenging target.
Wasim acknowledged that his team was at least 20 runs short, noting that a target closer to 200 could have provided a better chance to qualify for the next round. The Knight Riders will face the loser of the first qualifier between the defending champions, Saint Lucia Kings, and the Guyana Amazon Warriors.
