Two heavyweights of the 2020 Caribbean Premier League clash on matchday seven, as the St. Lucia Zouks take on the Trinbago Knight Riders. Kieron Pollard’s side are still unbeaten in the competition after three games, with their seasoned players performing right from the get go.
The Trinbago Knight Riders however could find a worthy opponent this time around in the Zouks, who themselves are on a three match winning streak. Daren Sammy’s team have performed admirably with the ball given their abundance of options, and have twice managed to defend modest totals. With the bat too, the likes of Andre Fletcher and Roston Chase have started the tournament brightly, and one would expect that trend to continue.
Head-to-head record
St. Lucia Zouks | Trinbago Knight Riders |
2 | 10 |
Previous clashes in the CPL have been dominated by the Trinbago Knight Riders, but this time around we can expect a much more even contest given the current form of both these franchises. The Zouks seem a more well rounded team this time around, with plenty of bowling options and depth with the bat as well. With an enigmatic new coach in Andy Flower, neutral fans can be assured of a close game in CPL 2020.
Watch out for:
Roston Chase is the leading run scorer for the St. Lucia Zouks this season, with 122 runs in three innings so far which includes two fifties. The 28-year-old has also been the go to man with the ball for Daren Sammy, picking up five wickets so far while maintaining an economy rate under six. Be it bowling in the powerplay or the death overs, Chase has provided that much needed auxiliary option for the Zouks this season.
Scott Kuggeleijn is the leading wicket-taker of CPL 2020 so far, with 10 scalps so far. The Kiwi bowler has been in inspired form since the past two games, picking up seven wickets. He has been instrumental in breaking partnerships in the middle overs or building the pressure in the powerplay overs with his searing pace.
Opponent Corner:
For the Trinbago Knight Riders, Sunil Narine has been very effective opening the batting, scoring freely and foiling the opposition plans in the powerplay. Apart from Narine, that explosive top order of Colin Munro, Darren Bravo and Kieron Pollard are a cause for concern for all teams. For the Zouks to get a favourable result, it would be once again about consolidating the powerplay overs with the ball and picking up a few of these big wickets early on.
Probable XI: Andre Fletcher, Kimani Melius, Mark Deyal, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Daren Sammy (c), Roston Chase, Scott Kuggelejin, Chemar Holder, Kesrick Williams, Saad Bin Zafar.
NOTE:The aforementioned line-up is an educated guess at best, and the final decision rests with the captain and the team management depending on various external factors.
