TKR beaten in Jamaica | Sports
They got runs and wickets, but the three returning stars for the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) could not prevent the desperate Jamaica Kingsmen from recording their first win of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2026, last night at Sabina Park. They beat the Knight Riders by five wickets in their fourth match of the tournament.
Opening batter Kirk McKenzie set the tone with a destructive 69 from just 25 balls, powering the Kingsmen’s chase after the Knight Riders posted 182 for six, with their star-studded top order all making valuable contributions.
With captain Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard and Usman Tariq back in action, TKR appeared well placed. Pollard smashed 44 from 22 balls and Pooran 44 off 32, while Tariq returned impressive figures of three for 21. But McKenzie’s explosive innings ultimately proved to be the difference.
Sent in to bat in Kingston, the Trinidad and Tobago-based franchise made a cautious start. Colin Munro and Alex Hales struggled to find their rhythm, while Hassan Khan kept things tight with the ball and Andre Russell removed Munro inside the Powerplay to leave the Kingsmen firmly in control.
Pooran, was first to change the tempo with a well-made 44, including four sixes while adding 67 runs with Pollard for the third wicket. However, his dismissal just before the death overs proved crucial, as it kept the Knight Riders from pushing towards a total of 220 or more.
Late wickets slowed TKR’s momentum, although Jyd Goolie and Sunil Narine added some much-needed impetus with boundary-filled cameos to lift their side to a competitive 182 for 6.
The Kingsmen, in contrast, came out firing.
McKenzie did the bulk of the damage during a blistering Powerplay that yielded 82 without loss, putting the home side firmly ahead of the required rate.
Reeza Hendricks continued his steady run of form to provide valuable support, before captain Rovman Powell and Russell used their local knowledge of Sabina Park to put the finishing touches on the chase.
The pair combined for an important 48-run partnership after Tariq briefly threatened to swing the momentum back towards the Knight Riders. Their stand steadied the innings and kept the Kingsmen firmly on course.
Any hopes of a late comeback were effectively ended when seamers Terrence Hinds and Nathan Edward conceded 17 and 28 runs respectively in the 16th and 17th overs.
The Kingsmen reached their target with eight deliveries to spare, completing the highest successful run chase at Sabina Park in CPL history.
The inspired Kingsmen return to Sabina Park on Tuesday night for their final home match against the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, while TKR travel to St Lucia for their next fixture against the Kings on Saturday.
Summarised scores:
TRINBAGO KNIGHT RIDERS 182-6, 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 44, Kieron Pollard 44, Alex Hales 29, Sunil Narine 19 n.o., Colin Munro 16, Jyd Goolie 14 n.o.; Hunain Shah 2/31, Andre Russell 2/34)
JAMAICA KINGSMEN 183-5 , 18.4 overs (Kirk McKenzie 69, Reeza Hendricks 37, Rovman Powell 29 n.o., Andre Russell 27, Keacy Carty 11; Usman Tariq 3/21)
—-Kingsmen won by five wickets.