Johnson Charles

Charles scored 26 runs in 15 balls in a 44-run opening partnership with Avishka Fernando (27) in just 21 balls that set the tone for the Stallions, who won the toss and chose to bat, to make 188 for 6 from their allotment of 20 overs.

 "It always feels so grateful when you win a championship. I'm just glad we made it over the line. It's a very great feeling," Charles said after. "With our bowlers and the skill they have we were definitely pleased with the score we had."

Charles was the first wicket to fall off the fourth ball of the fifth over when he tried to heave a slower ball from Dhananjaya Lakshan over long-on but mistimed the shot and was caught by Gunathilaka, who 20 yards before diving to take the catch inches from the ground.

His was the first Lakshan’s three wickets. The Stallions lost two more wickets in the next four overs stumbling to 70 for 3 mid-way the ninth over. However, the champions regained some momentum in the middle overs through a fourth wicket partnership between Shoaib Mailk, who was the top scorer with 46 and Dhananjaya de Silva who had a 20-ball 33.

The innings got some late lift from Thisara Perara, who smashed five fours and two sixes in his 39 that came off just 14 balls as the Stallions raced towards their match-winning total.

Lakshan was the Gladiators’ best bowler with 3 for 36.

Needing to score at over nine runs and over to achieve victory, the Gladiators were in early trouble at 7 for 3 inside the first two overs.

However, thanks to Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who raced to 40 from just 17 balls during which he struck three fours and four sixes, the Gladiators got back in the hunt with 62 runs on the board by the middle of the ninth over when he was caught behind by the St Lucian off the bowling of Usman Shinwari, who finished with figures of 2 for 20 from his four overs.

Azam Khan tried to rally his team with a 17-ball 36 but the Gladiators lost wickets regularly and eventually ran out of time and balls at 135 for 9.

Malik was the best the bowlers with 2 for 13.

In what will be his first stint in the IPL, the 34-year-old Charles joins KKR as a replacement for Litton Das, who departs to represent Bangladesh in a three-match ODI series against Ireland from May 9-14. He was contracted by KKR at a cost of USD$60,000.

Charles returned to the West Indies set up in October 2022 after a six-year absence from the team.  In March 2023, he exploded scoring a 39-ball ton against South Africa and is expected to provide some stability to the KKR line-up that has struggled this season. KKR with only three wins from their nine matches so far this season are currently eighth in the 10-team league.

He will team up with former West Indies players Andre Russell and Sunil Narine in the KKR line-up

For the ongoing "A" Team Series in Bangladesh, left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul will travel to Sylhet as cover for fellow left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, who has been ruled out of the remaining matches due to a lower back injury.

Motie, on the other hand, will travel to Dubai ahead of the West Indies' three-match One-Day International (ODI) Series against the UAE at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Although he will not participate in the matches, he will receive treatment from the medical staff with the aim of being available for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe, starting on 18 June.

Off-spinner Kevin Sinclair, who is currently with the "A" Team in Bangladesh, will replace Motie in the 15-member ODI squad for the series in Sharjah. Additionally, experienced batter Johnson Charles has been called up as a replacement for Devon Thomas, who has been provisionally suspended from playing cricket due to charges brought by the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit under the Anti-Corruption codes.

Lead Selector, The Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes, expressed his thoughts on the changes: "We were forced to make some changes to the squads, and this has presented opportunities for players to come in. Sinclair has been in good form all year and has taken that to the 'A Team' series in Bangladesh. Permaul and Charles are experienced players, and they will be able to quickly adapt to the conditions and fit into the environment in Sylhet and Sharjah."

Haynes further added, "Motie is a key part of our plans for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe, so we are hopeful he will make a full recovery for that tournament. The decision was taken to have him remain with the squad in Sharjah so he will be closely monitored and receive the best treatment available."

 Updated Squads:

West Indies "A" Squad vs Bangladesh "A": Joshua DaSilva (Captain), Alick Athanaze, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Tevin Imlach, Akeem Jordan, Brandon King, Jair McAllister, Zachary McCaskie, Kirk McKenzie, Anderson Phillip, Raymon Reifer, Kevin Sinclair, Veerasammy Permaul (cover for Gudakesh Motie)

West Indies ODI Squad vs United Arab Emirates: Shai Hope (captain), Brandon King (vice captain), Alick Athanaze, Shamarh Brooks, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Dominic Drakes, Kavem Hodge, Akeem Jordan, Keemo Paul, Raymon Reifer, Kevin Sinclair, Odean Smith.

Match Schedule:

West Indies "A" Team vs Bangladesh "A":

16-19 May: 1st "Test" at Sylhet International Stadium – Match drawn

23-26 May: 2nd "Test" at Sylhet International Stadium 2 – ongoing

30 May to 2 June: 3rd "Test" at Sylhet International Stadium

ODIs vs United Arab Emirates:

4 June: 1^st ODI at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE

6 June: 2nd ODI at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE

9 June: 3rd ODI at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE

Charles smashed 76 from 56 balls as the Stallions scored 165 for 9 from their 20 overs. Their bowlers then combined to dismiss the Viikings for 128 in 19.1 overs.

In what was topsy-turvy semi-final, the Viikings won the toss and sent the Lions in to bat. Charles and Avishka Fernando laid the foundation for a competitive score putting on 68 before Fernando tried to shovel a length delivery from Anwar Ali over long-on only to be caught by Angelo Perera just inside the boundary rope.

Charles dominated the second-wicket partnership of 43 with Charith Asalanka, who on the last ball of the 13^th over, charged Malinda Pushpakumara but failed to get the necessary elevation and picked out Ali at long-on. He made 10.

At the fall of Asalanka’s wicket, the Stallions crumbled losing five for 36 in the next four overs including that of Charles, who tried to smash a wide thigh-high full toss from Lahiru Kumara only to see Anwar Ali covering 10 yards to his left on the ring at mid-off before diving to pull off a sensational catch.

The Lions only added 19 runs from the next four overs having lost the earlier momentum from the top order.

Pushpakumara was the best of the bowlers with 2 for 24 from his four overs.

Despite losing two wickets in the first three overs for just 18 runs, Dambulla Viikings, through Niroshan Dickwella and Upul Tharanga got back into the chase getting to 62 by the start of the ninth over. However, once Dickwella fell lbw to Asalanka for 29, they lost five wickets for 34 runs and eventually 8 for 54 in a dramatic collapse.

Upul Tharanga top scored with 33 in the losing effort.

Wanindu Hasaranga was the chief destroyer with 3 for 15 and and Usman Shinwari, who created multiple run outs fielding at short third man hastened the collapse.

Charles's explosive innings included 13 fours and seven sixes as he anchored the West Indies A innings, propelling them to a formidable total of 227-3 against the hosts. His half-century came in a blistering 24 balls, setting the stage for a dominant performance. Charles formed a crucial second-wicket partnership of 145 runs with Andre Fletcher (53), after Alick Athanaze was run out for 17.

Fletcher's innings featured four fours and three sixes before he departed in the 16th over. Contributions from Fabian Allen (19 from nine balls) and Keemo Paul (13 from seven) further bolstered the West Indies A total, which marked the highest score by the tourists in the series so far.

In response, Nepal faced an uphill battle chasing more than 11 runs per over for victory and struggled under scoreboard pressure, losing wickets at regular intervals. Opener Lokesh Bam and Karan both managed 28 runs, while Kushal Malla contributed 20. However, Nepal ultimately collapsed to 151 all out in 19.2 overs.

Hayden Walsh Jr led the bowling attack for West Indies A with impressive figures of 3-28, while Gudakesh Motie provided valuable support with 2-28. Fabian Allen, Matthew Forde, and Obed McCoy also chipped in with a wicket each as the West Indies comfortably secured a pivotal series lead.

Johnson Charles' heroic innings and the collective effort from the West Indies A bowlers have positioned the team favorably as they head towards the remaining matches of the series, aiming to clinch the series victory against Nepal.

His remarks come, as Jamaica Tallawahs are set to begin their title defence against St Lucia Kings in the tournament opener in Gros Islet, St Lucia on Wednesday at 6:00pm Jamaica time.

King, who was instrumental in leading the Jamaican franchise to their third tile –first since 2016 –by defeating Barbados Royals in last year’s final at Guyana’s National Stadium, is confident that they can once again stamp their class on the tournament, starting with tomorrow’s assignment.  

“The Jamaica Tallawahs are excited for the 2023 season to begin,” the inform batsman, who scored a career-best unbeaten half-century last Sunday to help West Indies clinch a series win over India in Florida, declared.

“I firmly believe that our success in the upcoming tournament lies not just in our individual skills, but in our ability to unite as a team, play with passion, and embrace every challenge that comes our way. I’m excited for the new season and can’t wait to get on the field to defend our title,” King added.

Though they will be without last year’s winning captain Rovman Powell, who head to Barbados Royals, King’s Tallawahs outfit will feature most of the talent from the triumphant season, including out-of-favour West Indies all-rounder Fabian Allen, Test vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood and the classy Shamarh Brooks, along with overseas players Imad Wasim, Chris Green, Mohammed Amir and the hard-hitting Alex Hales.

Meanwhile, St Lucia Kings, who are hunting their maiden CPL title, having twice made the final in 2020 and 2021 where they came up short against Trinbago Knight Riders and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots respectively.

With that in mind, Head coach Darren Sammy believes it is only fitting that they begin their charge and, by extension, come out strong on home soil.

Sammy’s side will be led by the West Indies trio of Alzarri Joseph, Roston Chase and Johnson Charles, while South African star Faf du Plessis, again headlines the overseas players.

“The Saint Lucia Kings are delighted to be getting their 2023 campaign under way at our home ground,” said Sammy, who is also West Indies white-ball Head coach.

“We are sure that the Lucian public will come out in big numbers to support us as we push to make the playoffs and then go on and claim our first CPL title.  We have a very strong team full of exciting young talent and experienced local and overseas players and we are well placed heading into the tournament,” he noted.

Following the completion of games in St Lucia, the tournament will then visit St Kitts & Nevis, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago and Guyana, with the latter again set to host the September 24 final in Providence.

The day started brilliantly for the West Indies as the opening pair of King and Charles put on 129 for the first wicket after West Indian captain Shai Hope won the toss and chose to bat first.

In the process, Charles brought up his fifth ODI half-century before being dismissed for a rapid 47-ball 63. The St. Lucian hit eight fours and three sixes in his knock.

King, who brought up a maiden ODI hundred on the way to a man of the match performance in the first encounter, continued his good form with 64 off 70 balls including four fours and as many sixes.

The tourists then got solid contributions from Odean Smith (37), Keacy Carty (32), Kavem Hodge (26) as they were eventually bowled out for 306 with one ball to spare.

Zahoor Khan led the way with the ball for the UAE with 3-44 from 9.5 overs while Aayan Khan (2-45), Ali Naseer (2-69) and Sanchit Sharma (2-69) also provided good contributions.

The UAE reply looked to be coming to an end quickly at 95-5 in the 24^th over before a fighting 80-run partnership between Basil Hameed and Ali Naseer brought some respectability to proceedings.

Hameed batted valiantly, facing 84 balls before he fell for 49. He hit a boundary and three sixes in his knock.

Meanwhile, Naseer, who struck a fifty in the series opener, got his second straight half-century with a 53-ball 57 including six fours and three sixes.

Vriitya Aravind also contributed 36 and Aayan Khan 23* as the UAE eventually made 227-7 off their 50 overs.

Kavem Hodge (2-46 from 8) and Roston Chase (2-49 from 10) were the day’s best bowlers for the West Indies while debutant, Akeem Jordan, Odean Smith and Yannic Cariah were the other wicket-takers.

The Knight Riders won the toss and opted to field first and that decision appeared to have backfired when Johnson Charles’ half-century got the Kings off to a lightning start.

Although the Knight Riders pegged the Kings back in the middle overs a devastating 33 off 14 balls from David Wiese ensured the Knight Riders were set a very difficult 148 to win.

 The Knight Riders’ task became even more difficult when they lost three early wickets inside the PowerPlay including that of Nicholas Pooran for a duck. 

 They never really recovered from that and left themselves too much ground to make up in the back end resulting in the narrow defeat.

 The Kings had got off to a flier in the PowerPlay with the tournament’s top scorer Charles hitting another barnstorming fifty. His partnership with Niroshan Dickwella added 59 runs before Ravi Rampaul carried on his good form by removing the latter.

 When Rampaul removed the set Charles it led to a squeeze on the Kings scorecard as 82-3 quickly became 117-5.

 However, David Wiese was able to produce an excellent counter-attacking innings at the death to help the Kings post a challenging 147.

 The Knight Riders' response saw their top order fail again as Leonardo Julien, Colin Munro and Nicholas Pooran all fell inside the powerplay to Roston Chase.

 That left the middle and lower order too much to do and despite a late salvo by Andre Russell in the final over of the game, it was too little too late.

 The two sides swap places in the table following the results and both will now head to Guyana with all to play for in the race for the playoffs. 

Scores: Saint Lucia Kings 147-6 (Charles 54, Wiese 33; Rampaul 2-10, Narine 2-31) beat Trinbago Knight Riders 146-6 (Seifert 44, Pollard 34; Chase 3-17, Joseph 2-26) by 1 run.

Replying to Windward Islands’ score of 254-9, Trinidad and Tobago achieved victory at 255-4 with 12 balls to spare.

Batting first, Windward Islands owed their total to a brilliant knock of 89 from Johnson Charles, who smashed eight fours and five sixes in his 69-ball stay before he was dismissed by Yannick Cariah, who also claimed the wicket of Johnson’s opening partner Alick Athanaze for 39.

Kavem Hodge contributed 45 while Captain Andre Fletcher, batting much lower in the order, made 36 to help take the Windwards to a competitive total.

Cariah also took the wickets of Sunil Ambris for 10 and Tevyn Walcott for six to end with figures of 4-57. Sunil Narine provided support with 2-29.

The chase was relatively uneventful was Ottley dominated the bowling scoring his runs from 142 balls during which he hit 11 fours and three sixes. Fellow opener Tion Webster scored 40 and there were contributions of Terrence Hinds, who was not out on 26 at the end, and Darren Bravo, 25 and Jason Mohammed, 20.

Kenneth Dember was the best of the bowlers with 2-23.

Both sides had already qualified for the Super 8s, but West Indies ensured they finished unbeaten in Group C, breaking a few records along the way.

Afghanistan had no answers to the co-hosts' dominant batting performance, with Johnson Charles getting 43 off 27 balls before Pooran plundered 98 off 53 balls, including six fours and eight sixes.

He was run out in the final over while searching for his century, but Shai Hope (25) and Rovman Powell (26) had already helped push West Insides towards the highest total of the tournament so far with 218-5.

West Indies did not let up during the Afghanistan chase, starting strongly when Akeal Hosein had Rashid Khan caught for a duck in a wicket maiden to start.

Obed McCoy was the standout though, as he took 3-14, including Ibrahim Zadran, who was starting to build some momentum with his 38, leaving Afghanistan all out for 114 with 22 balls remaining.

West Indies meet holders England in their first Super 8 match on Wednesday, while Afghanistan face India the following day.

Data Debrief: West Indies finish group in record-breaking style

West Indies' score of 218 was their highest-ever at the T20 World Cup, while they also registered the highest powerplay score with 92, beating the Netherlands' record of 91 against Ireland in 2014.

In the fourth over alone, they scored 36 runs - equalling the record for the most expansive over in men's T20s.

Pooran has scored the joint-most sixes in the tournament so far (13, along with USA's Aaron Jones), and has broken the record for the most sixes (128) in T20s for West Indies, going past Chris Gayle's 124.

His total of 98 was also the highest individual total at this World Cup, carrying him past 2000 runs in T20Is.

All in all, not a bad day for the West Indies.

Powell was released by the Delhi Capitals, while Joseph and Odean Smith were the players released by the Gujarat Titans. Holder and Obed McCoy were let go by the Rajasthan Royals, who have retained Shimron Hetmyer on their roster for the 2024 season.

Meanwhile, the Kolkata Knight Riders released Johnson Charles while retaining the services of Andre Russell and Sunil Narine for the coming season.

Akeal Hosein was released by the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Jofra Archer will also be looking for a new franchise after being let go by the Mumbai Indians who have also traded Romario Shepherd to Mumbai Indians while the Lucknow Super Giants have retained Nicholas Pooran and Kyle Mayers.

Powell, one of the world’s most destructive T20 batsmen, most recently represented the Delhi Capitals last season and has also represented the Kolkata Knight Riders previously.

He made his debut in 2022 and has scored 257 runs in 17 matches at an average of 19.77 with a top score of 67*.

Joseph made his IPL debut in 2019 and has taken 20 wickets in 19 matches including a career best 6-12 for the Mumbai Indians. Last season, Joseph played for the Gujarat Titans who won the title.

Hosein has only made one IPL appearance, taking the field for the Sunrisers Hyderabad last season.

Brandon King, Sherfane Rutherford, Fabian Allen, Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Keemo Paul, Johnson Charles, Shai Hope, Obed McCoy, Oshane Thomas, Odean Smith and Shamar Joseph are the other West Indians entered into Tuesday’s auction.

King, Forde, Hope and Joseph are the only ones with no previous IPL experience.

The Tigers took first strike after the Victorians won the toss and elected to field first, a decision that looked like the right one when Mahmudul Hasan Joy was dismissed by Pakistani pacer Naseem Shah in the third over with the score on 13.

That wicket brought Tigers skipper Shai Hope to the crease alongside Tamim Iqbal and the pair put on a T20 batting masterclass, blasting the Comilla bowling all over the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.

A 184-run second wicket partnership between them helped the Tigers reach 197 after 19 overs before Iqbal was finally dismissed five runs short of a magnificent hundred. Iqbal hit 11 fours and four sixes in 61 deliveries.

In the end, Khulna ended their 20 overs on 210-2 with Hope ending not out on 91. His knock came off just 55 balls and included five fours and seven sixes.

The Victorians reply got off to the worst possible start when top batsman Litton Das was forced to retire hurt after being struck on the wrist with the second ball of the innings.

This brought Captain Imrul Kayes to the wicket and he and Mohammad Rizwan put on 22 before Kayes was dismissed for five in the third over.

Rizwan was then joined at the crease by Charles and the two put on a display like that of Hope and Iqbal in the Tigers’ innings.

The pair put on what turned into a match-winning 122-run partnership before Rizwan was dismissed for a 39-ball 73 in the 14^th over.

Charles continued on his merry way and brought up a magnificent hundred with a six over cover in the 18^th over. His knock came off 53 balls and included five fours and 10 sixes.

He closed proceedings with a six in the 19^th over to help the Victorians complete the highest chase in BPL history.

The Victorians now have 12 points from nine games and have secured their spot in the playoffs with a game to spare.

Scores: Khulna Tigers 210-2 in 20 overs (Tamim Iqbal 95, Shai Hope 91*) Comilla Victorians 213-3 in 18.2 overs (Johnson Charles 107*, Mohammad Rizwan 73).

The West Indies will play three ODIs on March 16, 18 and 21, followed by three T20Is on March 25, 26 and 28. 

In the ODIs, Shai Hope will have his first series as captain with allrounder Rovman Powell appointed as the new vice-captain. In the T20Is, captain Rovman Powell will be supported by a new vice-captain in batting allrounder Kyle Mayers.

Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel has earned a recall to the ODI squad on the back of his performances during the CG United Super50 Cup last November. 

He was the joint leading wicket-taker spearheading the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force bowling attack, taking 15 wickets in seven matches at an average of 14.2. He last played ODIs for the West Indies at the ICC Cricket World Cup in July 2019. 

Left-arm pacer Obed McCoy has been named in the T20I squad subject to medical clearance.  Fast bowler Jayden Seales remains unavailable for selection following a knee injury and subsequent surgery, while another fast bowler Anderson Phillip has returned to training but is not yet match-fit. 

Lead Selector the Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes said: “We have had some injuries to our fast-bowling pool so therefore we see Gabriel as an ideal fit heading into South Africa, and the surfaces we expect to play on. It is felt that we need someone to get those early wickets and he is the kind of bowler that can do that. Judging from his performances in the CG United Super50 Cup, he is potentially a wicket-taking option up front.” 

Haynes added: “For the T20Is, we have an experienced squad. What we are looking for is to form a cohesive unit and look at the players who we believe can form the nucleus as we build towards doing very well and challenging when we host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in June 2024.”

FULL SQUADS

One-Day Internationals

Shai Hope (Captain)

Rovman Powell (Vice Captain)

Shamarh Brooks

Yannic Cariah

Keacy Carty

Roston Chase

Shannon Gabriel

Jason Holder

Akeal Hosein

Alzarri Joseph

Brandon King

Kyle Mayers

Nicholas Pooran

Romario Shepherd

Odean Smith

T20 Internationals

Rovman Powell (Captain)

Kyle Mayers (Vice Captain)

Shamarh Brooks

Yannic Cariah

Johnson Charles

Sheldon Cottrell

Jason Holder

Akeal Hosein

Alzarri Joseph

Brandon King

Obed McCoy

Nicholas Pooran

Raymon Reifer

Romario Shepherd

Odean Smith

White ball schedule in South Africa

Thursday, 16 March: 1st ODI at Buffalo Park, East London (day/night)

Saturday, 18 March: 2nd ODI at Buffalo Park, East London (day/night)

Tuesday, 21 March: 3rd ODI at JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom 

Saturday, 25 March: 1st T20Is at SuperSport Park, Centurion

Sunday, 26 March: 2nd T20I at SuperSport Park, Centurion

Tuesday, 28 March: 3rd T20I at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg (night)

St Kitts and Nevis Patriots won the toss and chose to field first, but it was Faf du Plessis who got the Saint Lucia Kings off to a dominating start by scoring boundaries throughout the opening overs. Johnson Charles then continued to score runs, before big hitting from David Wiese and Roshon Primus powered the Kings to a total of 189-7. 

In their chase, the Patriots could not find fluency as they lost four wickets in the first 10 overs. Wiese was the stand-out bowler for the Kings, taking three wickets for just eight runs as the Patriots finished 140 all out and lost by a margin of 49 runs. 

Saint Lucia Kings had a positive start to their innings with du Plessis and Charles comfortably hitting boundaries at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, although the former would lose his wicket attempting a scoop shot. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, the Kings managed to score 189-7 largely thanks to the performance of Charles, who scored 61 and was at the crease for over 15 overs. 

St Kitts and Nevis Patriots had begun to build a foundation in their chase but lost both openers Andre Fletcher and Evin Lewis in the fifth over. With Wiese then taking the wickets of both Darren and DJ Bravo, the Patriots began to rebound with Dewald Brevis scoring some crucial runs before he was caught out. As the Patriots lost more wickets, Kesrick Williams proving a threat with the ball, they could not keep up with the required run rate and were bowled out for 140, losing by 49 runs. 

 Scores:  Saint Lucia Kings 189-7 (Charles 61, du Plessis 41; DJ Bravo 1-26, Khan 2-45) beat St Kitts & Nevis Patriots 140 all out (Brevis 32, Khan 26; Wiese 3-8, Williams 3-32) by 49 runs.

The Kings won the toss and opted to bat first and they filled their boots with a barnstorming innings that saw them post the highest total of the season thus far with a fantastic 201-6.

Healthy contributions from all members of the batting order negated a brilliant spell of bowling from Jason Holder and ensured the Royals would have to produce something very special to win.

The Royals failed to get going in their reply, losing five wickets in the PowerPlay to all but end the chase but a spirited 48 from Nyeem Young ensured the Royals added some late respectability to proceedings.

Earlier on the Kings had posted 201-6, led by a blistering show by the opening pair of Johnson Charles and Faf Du Plessis, the Kings raced to 61 but two wickets in Jason Holder’s first over brought things back. Charles and Shadrack Descarte falling in quick succession to give the Royals something to work with.

However, that joy proved to be short-lived as first Sean Williams and Du Plessis, then Williams and Sikandar Raza made light work of the Royals bowling to put the Kings into a commanding position heading into the final five overs.

But that platform failed to be fully exploited as Qais Ahmad and Jason Holder pulled the momentum back by dismissing Williams and Raza respectively.

Holder was to finish the match with 4-38 adding Roston Chase to his list of scalps but the lack of consistent support elsewhere ensured the Kings were still able to post an imposing total for the Royals to chase.

Chasing 202 to win was always a tall order for the Royals to chase but the reply was over before it began, following a run out for Rahkeem Cornwall, Matthew Forde was destructor in chief removing the Royals top order to leave the innings in trouble at 21-4.

Kyle Mayers briefly threaten to counter attack before Alzarri Joseph had him caught on the third man boundary for 16.

From there the Kings took the game away with wickets falling at regular intervals to dismiss the Royals for 147 to chalk up their first win of the tournament.

Scores: Saint Lucia Kings 201-6 (Williams 47, Du Plessis 46; Holder 4-38, Qais 2-35) beat Barbados Royals 147 all out (Young 48, Ferreira 19; Forde 3-12, Raza 1-21) by 54 runs

 The Patriots won the toss and opted to field first and that appeared to have backfired when Johnson Charles and Faf Du Plessis put on a blistering opening partnership that saw them post 61 runs in the PowerPlay. 

 However, much like their performance against the Guyana Amazon Warriors, the Kings faltered badly in the back end of their innings losing nine wickets for 75 runs.  

Despite the stuttering end to their innings, the 161-9 the Kings posted always looked tricky and the Patriots got off to a bad start in the PowerPlay losing three wickets for 48 runs.

They never recovered from that position as the Kings blew them away with an excellent performance in the field. Tim David led the way with a Hero CPL record-equalling five catches in the outfield. 

The Kings needed a good performance in this must-win game and led by captain Faf Du Plessis’ 60 runs from 35 balls they set off very quickly. 

Ably assisted by the in-form Johnson Charles the pair put on 86 for the first wicket but once Charles fell the Kings innings fell away. They regularly lost wickets in clusters and when Alzarri Joseph departed for a duck with the score on 124-7 it looked as if the Kings may not see out the overs. 

However, late hitting from Matthew Forde ensured the Kings were able to post a par score of 161. 

The Patriots' innings was in deep trouble very early on in reply. Matthew Forde ripped through the top three to leave the Patriots teetering at the end of the Powerplay.

 From that point, the Patriots failed to build any meaningful partnership as their top order continued to struggle.

 When Alzarri Joseph removed Darren Bravo for 20 to leave the Patriots on 81-6, that was the last of the recognised batters and the innings soon ended with the Patriots ending on 100 all out.

Saint Lucia Kings 161-9 (Du Plessis 60, Charles 41; Pretorius 3-37, Dananjaya 2-30) beat St Kitts & Nevis Patriots 100 (Lewis 24, Bravo 20; Wiese 3-17, Forde 3-19) by 61 runs.

Charles and Joseph are joined by Barbadian middle-order batsman Roston Chase, Roshon Primus, Jeavor Royal, Matthew Forde and McKenny Clarke. The Kings have also secured the services of Khary Pierre who has been transferred to the team from the Trinbago Knight Riders.

The tournament gets underway on 16 August with the final taking place on 24 September. There will be matches in Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago.

The overseas players and draft picks will be announced during the Republic Bank CPL draft show which will be broadcast at the end of June 2023.

The teams will be comprised of local cricketers and professionals and there is optimism that players like Johnson Charles and former West Indies captain Darren Sammy will be displaying their skills during the two-week long tournament.

According to Carol Henry, President of the SLNCA, 30 matches are set to be played during the competition that will be staged at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground.

“We are in full planning mode,” Henry tells SportsMax.TV, adding that there will be two matches each day. The first match will begin at 12:30 pm with the second match set for a 2:30 pm start.

Of course, the matches will be played under a “closed venue” protocol in the interest of continuing to protect players and the citizens of St Lucia.

 Rovman Powell will lead the side as captain, with Roston Chase serving as vice-captain. The squad also features a mix of experienced campaigners and emerging talents, including the likes of Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, and Alick Athanaze. Notably absent from the squad are Andre Russell and Jason Holder, who have both requested periods of rest and recovery following a grueling season that included five consecutive Test matches against England and South Africa. Brandon King also remains sidelined as he continues his rehabilitation from an injury sustained during the World Cup.

 Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, emphasized the importance of rest and recovery for the absent players, stating, “During this period, they all will work closely with the CWI science and medicine team.”

 Head Coach Daren Sammy views the upcoming series as an opportunity for the West Indies to reset and refocus. “Facing a strong South Africa side is an excellent opportunity for our team to reset and refocus with our game plan. We have played them recently and had mixed results, so this should be an exciting and important series. I’m confident in the squad we’ve selected, and with eyes already on the next T20 World Cup in 2026, I know the guys will be keen to show their hunger for success,” Sammy remarked.

 The West Indies, currently ranked 4th in the ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings, will be looking to capitalize on their recent form, having won four of their last five series. South Africa, ranked 5th, presents a formidable challenge, especially after ending the West Indies' World Cup campaign in the Super 8 stage. However, with a squad full of dynamic players, including the explosive Fabian Allen and the reliable Shai Hope, the West Indies are poised to put up a strong fight.

 The T20I series against South Africa also marks a historic occasion as it will feature doubleheaders with the Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) for the first time. Fans will have the unique opportunity to witness both the top male and female cricketers in action with a single ticket.

 The full squad for the T20I series is as follows:  Rovman Powell (Captain), Roston Chase (Vice-Captain), Alick Athanaze, Fabian Allen, Johnson Charles, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Obed McCoy, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Sherfane Rutherford and Romario Shepherd.

The team management unit for the series includes Head Coach Daren Sammy, along with Assistant Coaches Rayon Griffith, Floyd Reifer, and Ramesh Subasinghe. The support staff also comprises Physiotherapist Denis Byam, Strength & Conditioning Coach Ronald Rogers, and others.

 Tickets for the T20I Series are available for purchase online, and fans in the Caribbean can catch all the action live on RUSH SPORTS or via the Flow Sports bluu. App and the SportsMax App. Fans worldwide can follow live ball-by-ball commentary on the Windies Cricket YouTube page and get live scores on the Windies Cricket Match Centre.

 As the West Indies gear up to face South Africa, cricket fans across the region will be eagerly watching to see how the team responds after their recent Test series disappointment. The upcoming T20I series promises to be an exciting chapter in the ongoing rivalry between the two cricketing nations.