By Anas Ahmed 
Kieron Pollard’s Trinbago Knight Riders are champions again. A clinical new-ball burst, savvy spin in the middle, and nerveless late-order hitting dragged TKR past Guyana Amazon Warriors in a low-scoring thriller at Providence to secure a record-extending fifth CPL title—and their first outside Trinidad.
Asked to chase 131, TKR were flying after a wayward second over from Romario Shepherd leaked 22. Dwaine Pretorius briefly yanked the game back with Colin Munro’s edge and, later, the huge wicket of Nicholas Pooran. At 39 for 2 in the fifth, the scoreboard steadied, but the contest never did.
Imran Tahir—imperious under lights—changed angles and lengths to trap Darren Bravo, then returned to rip out Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell in the space of two balls. Shamar Joseph added another twist, forcing Alex Hales to spoon a return catch just as he looked set to coast home. From 114 for 3, TKR were suddenly 116 for 7, the crowd in full voice and the Warriors’ spinners hunting one more opening.
Enter Akeal Hosein. Promoted for exactly this moment, he cleared his front leg and found clean angles through the arc; Keacy Carty held firm at the other end. With 15 needed off 24, Hosein’s late burst—one crisp boundary, one soaring six—drained the tension and sealed the chase with two overs to spare. Relief, then release. Red flags waved, players sprinted onto the turf, and the five-time champions embraced as fireworks framed the night.
TKR’s title tilt was built earlier in the evening. Andre Russell’s heavy-length short ball removed Quentin Sampson first over to puncture Guyana’s batting plan after they chose to bat. Saurabh Netravalkar then aced the middle overs with his left-arm angle and clever pace-off, dismissing Ben McDermott, Pretorius and Iftikhar Ahmed en route to 3 for 25. Hosein’s 2 for 26—and Sunil Narine’s miserly control—kept a lid on the rate as the surface gripped for spin. Late cameos from Pretorius (25) and Iftikhar (30) lifted the Amazon Warriors to 130 for 8, a total that felt 15–20 light in a final.
Pollard, who has heard boos across venues this season, offered perspective along with a grin: “It means a lot… We are five-time champions, and I’m still going around the Caribbean at 38. I do it because I love the game.” Narine, named in every key period of this run, called it “history,” adding: “We’ve struggled outside Trinidad, but this gives us belief. We’ll start dominating now.”
Guyana were gallant and tactically sharp with the ball—Pretorius’ double-strike, Tahir’s 3-for and Joseph’s late burst all extended the drama. But they were always chasing the rate that TKR’s bowlers had set. On a night for experience and execution, Trinbago’s depth held firmer for longer.
Brief scores
Guyana Amazon Warriors 130/8 (Ben McDermott 28, Iftikhar Ahmed 30, Dwaine Pretorius 25; Saurabh Netravalkar 3/25, Akeal Hosein 2/26, Andre Russell 1/18).
Trinbago Knight Riders 133/7 in 18 overs (Alex Hales 26, Kieron Pollard 21, Sunil Narine 22; Imran Tahir 3/34, Shamar Joseph 2/9, Dwaine Pretorius 2/21).
Result: Trinbago Knight Riders won by 3 wickets with 12 balls remaining.
Player of the Match: Akeal Hosein
Zainab Shafiq