Rakheem Cornwall's sensational 5-16 and Quinton de Kock's unbeaten 59 off 38 balls led Barbados Royals to a commanding nine-wicket victory over St Kitts and Nevis Patriots at the Kensington Oval. The win secured the Royals' spot in the CPL 2024 playoffs, while pushing the Patriots closer to elimination.
Cornwall’s brilliant bowling in the middle overs triggered a dramatic collapse for the Patriots, who tumbled from 38/2 to 69/8 in just 48 balls. Andre Fletcher had provided a solid start with his 32 off 22 during the PowerPlay, but once the Royals introduced slower deliveries, the collapse ensued. Naveen-ul-Haq also contributed with an impressive 3-21.
A determined 39-run partnership for the ninth wicket between Joshua Da Silva (25 off 29) and Anrich Nortje (22 off 17) helped the Patriots crawl past the 100-run mark, but their final total remained far below a competitive score. Cornwall’s spell was particularly effective, as he deceived the batters with flight and dip, combined with extra bounce, leading to several miscued shots.
The modest target made the chase a breeze for the Royals, with de Kock once again starring with a fifty. Unlike the previous match, the South African wicketkeeper-batter started aggressively during the PowerPlay, displaying his signature cuts and pick-up shots. Young Kadeem Alleyne provided solid support with 25 off 14. Although Wanindu Hasaranga briefly broke the opening stand, it was merely a consolation as Alick Athanaze (22 off 15) joined de Kock to comfortably seal the victory. The Patriots' ineffective bowling and the heavy dew further eased the task for the Royals.
Brief Scores:
St Kitts and Nevis Patriots 110 in 19.1 overs (Andre Fletcher 32; Rakheem Cornwall 5-16, Naveen-ul-Haq 3-21) lost to Barbados Royals 113-1 in 11.2 overs (Quinton de Kock 59, Kadeem Alleyne 25, Alick Athanaze 22) by nine wickets.