CPL 2017, Final, SNP v TKR, Review: Knight Riders lift the title after Kevon Cooper's all-round show

The Trinbago Knight Riders came from behind and went on to win their second CPL title after Kev0n Cooper and Denesh Ramdin held their nerves to take the game away from St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots. The Knight Riders were down to 67/5 after 10 overs, 33 runs were needed off the last 18 balls; the equation came down to 22 off 12 and then the duo clinched the title with 6 balls to spare.

A match winning unbeaten 46-run stand between Ramdin and Cooper was enough to flush out Patriots bid to win the 2017 coveted cup. Ramdin finished with 31-ball 26, dealt in ones and twos; not a single boundary on his score sheet. Cooper, on the other hand, slammed two sixes and as many fours, and played a vital cameo of 14-ball 29*.

Colin Munro, who was the chief architect in the qualifier, produced yet another match-winning knock at the top; the left-handed batsman hit three sixes before getting out to Mohammad Hafeez for 29. Munro’s stay at the crease did the chasers a huge favor, after they lost two early wickets in the face of Sunil Narine and skipper DJ Bravo, within the first 10 balls. Hafeez bowled well and was economical, ending his 4 overs for 2/19. 27-year old Tabraiz Shamsi did a good job too, with the ball in hand, his figures read 2/20 from 4 overs.

Watch: The celebration that caught the attention

Celebration of wicket from Shamsi #CPLfinal #SKPvTKR #Biggestpartyinsport pic.twitter.com/3mzoYLcyQk

— CPL T20 (@CPL) September 10, 2017

Gayle, Hafeez fails to fire

Earlier in the game, Bravo won the toss and sent in Patriots to bat. 30-year old Javon Searles backed his skipper’s decision and got the big wickets of captain Chris Gayle and Hafeez. Gayle failed to give his side a good start, the opener hit the ball a tad early and ended up getting caught by Yasir Shah at backward point. Hafeez mistimed one and gave a lolly to Daniel Christian, making it 11/2.

In-form Evin Lewis was trapped by Sunil Narine for 16, and the batting side were in all sorts of trouble until Carlos Brathwaite played a good hand of 25-ball 30, and he was equally supported by Mohammad Nabi, who remained unbeaten on 18 from 5 balls. Jonathan Carter’s 21 and Brandon King’s 19 also turned out to be crucial additions, as the St.Kitts and Nevis Patriots side managed to reach 135/6 in 20 overs.

The night of cameos

It turned out to be a night of cameos, as both the sides looked to be down in the dump for the major part of their innings, but somehow stitched those tiny scores to build the team total. Cooper’s 2/12 with the ball and later an unbeaten finish earned him the man of the match in the biggest game of the Caribbean nights.

Brief Scores:

St Kitts and Nevis Patriots 135/6 in 20 overs (Brathwaite 30; Cooper 2/12)

Trinbago Knight Riders 136/7 (Cooper 29*, Munro 29, Hafeez 2/19)

TKR won by 3 wickets