CPL: Nawaz, Cornwall push Knight Riders to brink of elimination

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC):

Hasan Nawaz starred with the bat before Rahkeem Cornwall’s excellent spell sealed Antigua and Barbuda Falcons’ eight-run win over the Trinbago Knight Riders to push the five-time champions to the brink of elimination in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

After being sent in to bat at the Queen’s Park Oval, Nawaz smashed nine fours and three sixes in his knock of 76 off 48 balls to help the Falcons get up to a competitive 183 for four in 20 overs.

Player of the Match Cornwall then wreaked havoc among the Knight Riders’ top order by grabbing three quick wickets, and the home side could only muster 175 for seven in their response.

While the win extended the Falcons’ lead at the top of the CPL to three points having amassed 11 points from their nine games and put them in a good position to make the playoffs, the Knight Riders now need nothing short of a miracle to finish in the top four, as they currently languish in second to last on four points from their eight matches.

The Falcons started brightly, with openers Evin Lewis and Cornwall blasting 36 runs off the first three overs.

But after smashing spinner Usman Tariq for a boundary off the first ball of the fourth over, Cornwall inside edged the next delivery onto his stumps to be bowled for 20.

Hasan Nawaz scored 76 to lead the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons to an eight-wicket win over the Trinbago Knight Riders.

Akeal Hosein then had Lewis caught for 24 and when pacer Justin Greaves trapped Amir Jangoo leg before wicket for six, the Falcons were in trouble at 62 for three.

However, Nawaz and captain Moeen Ali, who scored an unbeaten 32 off 24 balls, came to their rescue during a partnership of 108 runs for the fourth wicket.

Nawaz rode his luck, benefiting from a dropped catch when he was 36, while Ali survived two run out chances, as the Knight Riders’ sloppy fielding eventually proved decisive.

By the time Nawaz was dismissed by Lahiru Kumara with four balls remaining in the innings, the recovery had been completed, as Ali and Shadab Khan pushed the total past the 180 mark.

In dire need of a victory to boost their playoff push, the Knight Riders were set back when Cornwall struck in his first over, and the second of the innings, having Colin Munro caught by Ali at mid-on with 19 runs on the scoreboard.

Two balls later and with one run added, he then had Sunil Narine caught on the long on boundary for just one.

The Knight Riders struggled to gain momentum afterwards, with Joshua James accounting for the wicket of Alex Hales, before Cornwall returned to dismiss the dangerous Nicholas Pooran for 22, to leave the home side 57 for four in the sixth over.

Joshua Da Silva, who scored an unbeaten 54 off 31 balls with five sixes and three fours, and Kieron Pollard, who made 41, tried their best to get their side back into the contest in a 55-run stand.

They were still in the contest with 38 runs needed from the final three overs, but James claimed Pollard’s wicket in the 18th over and Terrance Hinds was run out three balls later to seal the contest.

Cornwall ended with 3-17 while James took 2-40.