RBCPL24: Powell’s Royals see light at end of the tunnel; after controversial TKR KO

For roughly two hours, cricket fanatics in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean shared memes and amused themselves as the ground staff and the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) organisers hurriedly tried to address the outage of two lighting towers at National Stadium in Providence, Guyana on Tuesday night.

At approximately 11.35pm, the diehard supporters of four-time CPL champions TKR ceased all meme-sharing as they demanded an immediate inquest into what they deemed a great injustice.

Trinbago Knight Riders star Nicholas Pooran sweats over his team’s fate during a lengthy delay in the Republic Bank CPL Eliminator due to a faulty lighting toward the Guyana National Stadium in Providence on 1 October 2024.
Photo: Ashley Allen – CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images

After the most cruel of losses, TKR fans cried sabotage and even blamed a Guyanese buck as Barbados Royals’ David ‘Killer’ Miller put a vicious end to their season.

He struck a couple of telling blows off Terrance Hinds in a brief run chase to see his team home with nine wickets to spare via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) Method.


The occasion was the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League Eliminator match and Rovman Powell’s Royals had been set a target of 60 runs from just five overs after the outage.

It truncated TKRs innings abruptly in the final over when a thumping Andre Russell maximum was immediately followed by worrying darkness in Providence.

Trinbago Knight Riders batsman Andre Russell plays an attacking stroke during Republic Bank CPL Eliminator action against the Barbados Royals at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence on 1 October 2024.
Photo: Ashley Allen – CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images

TKR had progressed to 168 for three after 19.1 overs, and their star bat Nicholas Pooran seemed to be blazing his way to a second consecutive CPL 100—stylishly amassing an unbeaten 91 off 60 balls with six fours and five sixes.

Often the engineer of his own demise with his shot-making and overexuberance in seeking to dominate a favourable match-up, the left-handed Pooran didn’t put a foot wrong as he effortlessly put TKR on his back.

Last week, skipper Kieron Pollard insisted TKR weren’t a one-man team but Pooran’s knock was out of this world and, respectfully, a notch above the efforts of Sunil Narine (2), Jason Roy (25 off 17 balls), Pollard (17 off 19) and Russell (20* off 18).

Barely one week ago, Pooran’s consistency was being questioned by a Trinidadian journalist as TKR prepared to face the Royals in their last home game at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on 27 September.

Trinbago Knight Riders batsman Nicholas Pooran smashes the ball to the boundary during Republic Bank CPL Eliminator action at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence on 1 October 2024.
Photo: Ashley Allen – CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images

In the second meeting with the Royals in five days, Pooran looked irresistible and became the first batsman to get to the 500-mark this season. Challenged by coach Phil Simmons to break Colin Munro’s CPL record tally of 567 from the 2018 season, Pooran was unstoppable.

Or so it seemed.


The players were ushered off the field around 9pm. And what originally looked like a temporary pause turned into a very anxious and uncomfortable wait as CPL CEO Pete Russell, operations director Michael Hall and the match officials had feverish discussions with both captains.

The last time match officials were required for an emergency meeting in the CPL, neither the result of the match or the controversial decision went in TKR’s favour.

An inoperable flood light caused a lengthy delay in play during the Republic Bank CPL Eliminator between Trinbago Knight Riders and the Barbados Royals at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence on 1 October 2024.
Photo: Ashley Allen – CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images

At the Queen’s Park Oval in Match 19 of the 2024 season, Antigua and Barbuda Falcons allrounder Imad Wasim was not out, out and then not out again as the umpires made a mess of an LBW decision.

This time, “Polly” hoped for a better outcome for his troops.

For television viewers, it took about 55 minutes before commentator Simon Doull provided an update, reporting that one of the two artificial lighting towers was back up and running. The crew, he said, was working expeditiously to restore the other tower to facilitate a restart.

Barbados Royals captain Rovman Powell (left) and Trinbago Knight Riders players Nicholas Pooran (right) and Chris Jordan wait for a faulty light to be sorted out during Republic Bank CPL Eliminator action at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence on 1 October 2024.
Photo: Ashley Allen – CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images

More importantly, Doull confirmed 10.52pm as the cut-off point for a continuation of the game, which would be reduced to a five-over affair for the chasing team.

As the minutes ticked by, the likelihood of a restart seemed as dim as the Providence outfield. The live feed offered little by way of information for the viewers and, in the interim, the broadcast featured replays of previous CPL matches from the current season.

As the spectators waited with bated breath, those with TKR red in their hearts started to feel at ease as they realised an abandonment of the Eliminator would see their team progressing to Friday’s second qualifier.

Trinbago Knight Riders batsmen Nicholas Pooran (left) and Kieron Pollard have a word during their Republic Bank CPL Eliminator innings against the Barbados Royals at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence on 1 October 2024.
Photo: Ashley Allen – CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images

TKR and Barbados finished third and fourth on the league table respectively and the Knight Riders looked set to call game with a royal flush.

TKR fans were already marking their calendar for a meeting with the Guyana Amazon Warriors or Faf du Plessis’ Saint Lucia Kings when news trickled through that the game would continue.

From Icacos in south Trinidad to Charlotteville in the north of Tobago, a collective royal steups could be heard.

Trinbago Knight Riders captain Kieron Pollard (left) and Barbados Royals captain Rovman Powell (centre) talk to umpires during a delay in play of the Republic Bank CPL Eliminator at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence on 1 October 2024.
Photo: Ashley Allen – CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images

At 10.55pm, confirmation came from CPL’s head of PR and Communications: “11:01[pm] restart. Five-over chase. Target is 60.”

Editors were forced to change their headlines which presumably read: Pooran dims Royals’ light in Providence; Lights out; Royals sent packing in Eliminator; Pooran shines bright but Barbados left in the dark.

The general mood of the TKR fan base quickly shifted. And though they had had no answer for “Nicky P”, Barbados were now in the ascendancy.

Trinbago Knight Riders batsman Nicholas Pooran raises his bat to another half-century during Republic Bank CPL Eliminator action against the Barbados Royals at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence on 1 October 2024.
Photo: Ashley Allen – CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images

Quinton de Kock, David Miller, Alick Athanaze, Rovman Powell and Kadeem Alleyne. With a top-order like that, 12 runs per over for five overs isn’t beyond reach—even if you have to contend with the mystery of Sunil Narine, Waqar Salamkheil and the left-arm orthodox guile of Akeal Hosein.

“I think it’s a case of us getting lucky tonight to be honest,” Powell said at the post-match presentation. “At one point, we thought we were out of the competition when the lights started giving problems.

“But we knew once the lights came back at a certain time, it was our game to lose. Five overs, 60 runs. That’s not very difficult.”

Barbados Royals batsmen David Miller (left) and Rovman Powell exchange pleasantries during Republic Bank CPL Eliminator action against the Trinbago Knight Riders at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence on 1 October 2024.
Photo: Ashley Allen – CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images

For TKR, two was a decisive number. Two bowlers could bowl two overs apiece, with the power play reduced to the first two overs.

Returning to the squad after a four-match absence, Narine was given the ball for the first over to nobody’s great surprise. But where would Pollard turn for the other three overs?

Struck for a four by de Kock, Narine struck gold for TKR when he castled the dangerous South African batsman with the third ball of his first over.

Trinbago Knight Riders spinner Sunil Narine (left) celebrates the wicket of Barbados Royals opener Quinton de Kock during Republic Bank CPL Eliminator action at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence on 1 October 2024.
Photo: Ashley Allen – CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images

The dismissal of one Proteas left-hander paved the way for another to come in, and “Killer” Miller was taking no prisoners.

“You have no other options. Five overs to go and you need 60,” Miller said, after collecting his Man-of-the-Match award for a brutal 50 off 17 balls. “You’ve got 11 batsmen and you’ve got to try and use every single ball you got.

“It worked out well tonight and I’m very stoked […] I had to go from ball one.”

Barbados Royals batsman David Miller goes on the attack during Republic Bank CPL Eliminator action against the Trinbago Knight Riders at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence on 1 October 2024.
Photo: Ashley Allen – CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images

Thirteen runs came off Narine’s first over, with Miller showing his clear intent with a six over long-on off the second ball he faced.

Polly looked worried. With good reason.

For the second over, Pollard chose the athletic Chris Jordan, whose CV includes death bowler specialist. Jordan nailed his first two yorkers and appeared to land a big blow when he pouched a skier off Powell’s bat.

Trinbago Knight Riders pacer Chris Jordan.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868

TKR’s celebrations were cut short as DRS showed that Jordan committed the cardinal sin by overstepping the crease. No- ball!

Miller couldn’t connect with the free-hit but Powell closed the over with a sweet flick for six as the Royals got another 13 in the over.

From there, it was all about Miller. He thumped Narine for another six off the first ball of the third over and, critically, kept the strike for the next over.

Barbados Royals batsman David Miller lets loose during Republic Bank CPL Eliminator action against the Trinbago Knight Riders at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence on 1 October 2024.
Photo: Ashley Allen – CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images

Again, Pollard put his trust in the Barbados-born Jordan.

Opting to stick with his yorker length, Jordan was picked off by a rampant Miller, who took 17 from the over, pushing the Royals score to 52.

For the last over, Pollard turned to Terrance Hinds, who had had the golden arm with three for 17 two nights before against the Warriors.

Trinbago Knight Riders captain Kieron Pollard has a worried look during their Republic Bank CPL Eliminator against the Barbados Royals at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence on 1 October 2024.
Photo: Ashley Allen – CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images

With just eight needed, Miller, in a no-nonsense mood, delivered the knockout blow. The South African drilled a pair of sixes over mid-wicket and extra-cover to clinch victory with four balls to spare.

But spare a thought for TKR. On a night where they looked destined to celebrate another sterling century from Nicky P, a faulty lighting system and a powerful South African finisher killed off their 2024 CPL dreams.

Though many TKR fans were left crestfallen and pointed to a greater conspiracy at play, their leader took the defeat on the chin.

The infamous faulty light tower at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence during the Republic Bank CPL Eliminator between the Trinbago Knight Riders and the Barbados Royals on 1 October 2024.
Photo: Ashley Allen – CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images

“If rain fell or something like that, it would have been the same sort of instance where you have to gear up and be prepared to play,” Pollard said. “At the end of it, once the lights were on, […] we were always ready and willing to play within the rules and regulations of the game.

“It was always going to be difficult for Barbados to chase our initial score. Certain things happened that we have no control over.

“You can control what you can control and what you can’t control, you gotta run with it.”

Barbados Royals batsmen David Miller (centre) and Rovman Powell (right) console Trinbago Knight Riders star Nicholas Pooran after the Royals’ controversial win in the Republic Bank CPL Eliminator at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence on 1 October 2024.
Photo: Ashley Allen – CPL T20/CPL T20 via Getty Images

With this new-found luck, the Royals who finished the league phase with four straight losses, will be hoping to run all the way to a third CPL title.

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One comment

  1. Lack of foresight by the decision makers in the game. Unfairness because of this inexperience. It can demotivate any human being. Congratulations to the winning team. Congratulations to TKR you are the just winners who got an unjust result because of the inexperience and errors of Human beings. It is life. Hold your, heads high and be proud. Your fans love you. Take care of yourselves. This too shall pass.

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