13 hours ago
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KINGSTON – An electrifying performance from Keemo Paul ensured that the Jamaica Kingsmen ended their homestand in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League on a winning note with a dominant 51-run victory over the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in Jamaica on Tuesday.
The all-rounder firstly starred with the bat, striking 65 off 36 balls, to help stage a recovery for the home side and get them up to 181 for six in their 20 overs after being sent in at Sabina Park.
Paul then returned with the ball to snare three wickets, as the Patriots were bowled out for a paltry 130 in 18 overs to give the Kingsmen their second successive win after losing their first three matches.
The result propeled the Kingsmen up to second in the standings with four points from their five games, while it dropped the Patriots to the bottom of the table on two points with just one win in three matches.
The Kingsmen couldn’t have gotten off to a worst possible start with pacer Saurabh Netravalkar claiming the wickets of Kirk McKenzie and Keacy Carty for ducks in the first over of the match to leave the home side in tatters at 0 for two.
Usman Khan and Reeza Hendricks added 36 runs for the third wicket, but the Patriots were back on top when spinner Wanindu Hasaranga trapped Khan lbw for 13 and had Hendricks caught behind for 19 to reduce the Kingsmen to 54 for four in the eighth over.
With his side in serious trouble, captain Rovman Powell and Paul came to the rescue during a 99-run partnership for the fifth wicket that completely transformed the complexion of the match.
Paul took a while to get going, scoring 16 runs at a run-a-ball in the early stages, but found his groove in the latter stages of the match.
He unleashed his fury by hitting Nikhil Chaudhary for a four and six off consecutive deliveries in the 14th over and followed up by smashing Hasaranga for two sixes in the 16th over to overtake Powell and move to 44 off 29 balls.
Paul then brought up his third T20 half century off 30 balls by clobbering Netravalkar for six over long on in the next over, which also included another six and two fours and leaked 22 runs.
By the time Jason Holder removed him, Paul had struck five sixes and five fours, and the recovery was complete with the score 153 for five in the 18th over.
Obed McCoy struck soon after by removing Powell for 49 off 39 balls, but Andre Russell thumped two sixes in an unbeaten 14 off seven balls to ensure they finished with a flurry.
Hasaranga finished with figures of 2-36, while Netravalkar claimed 2-43.
The Patriots failed to string together any meaningful partnerships in their run chase and never seriously threatened their target.
Hassan Khan and Hunain Shah dismissed openers Andre Fletcher and Johnson Charles respectively, before Paul bowled Kyle Mayers to make the score 31 for three in the fifth over.
Vitel Lawes then claimed the wicket of Chaudhary for 18 and Dasun Shanaka was run out for two to leave the Patriots in dire straits at 64 for five.
It was a position they would never recover from, despite a fighting 37 off 34 balls from Kevin Wickham, as Paul returned to wrap up the contest by dismissing Hasaranga and McCoy.
Paul, who was named Player-of-the-Match, finished with 3-30 and Russell took 2-19.
CMC
Summarised scores
JAMAICA KINGSMEN 181-6 in 20 overs (Keemo Paul 65, Rovman Powell 49, Reeza Hendricks 19, Andre Russell 14 not out, Usman Khan 13; Wanindu Hasaranga 2-36, Saurabh Netravalkar 2-43).
ST KITTS & NEVIS PATRIOTS 130 in 18 overs (Kevin Wickham 37, Navin Bidaisee 19, Nikhil Chaudhary 18, Johnson Charles 11, Wanindu Hasaranga 11; Keemo Paul 3-30, Andre Russell 2-19).
Jamaica Kingsmen won by 51 runs.
English (US) ·