St Lucia Kings secured their place in the CPL 2025 playoffs after a commanding seven-wicket victory over Trinbago Knight Riders in Tarouba on Thursday. A dominant display from their spinners, backed by a rapid start from the top order, powered the Kings to their fourth consecutive win and the top spot on the points table.
Put in to bat, Trinbago were bundled out for just 109 after failing to recover from early blows. Khary Pierre struck in the opening over, dismissing Colin Munro for a duck, and followed it up with the wicket of Darren Bravo. Captain Nicholas Pooran briefly steadied the innings with 30 off 27 balls, but his dismissal to Roston Chase, aided by DRS, triggered a collapse.
South Africa’s Tabraiz Shamsi produced a masterclass in spin bowling, picking up 3 for 12 without conceding a boundary. He removed both Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell, dashing TKR’s hopes of a late surge. Chase (2 for 19) and Delano Potgieter (2 for 6) also chipped in as the Knight Riders folded for a below-par total.
Chasing 110, the Kings started aggressively through Tim Seifert, who smashed 36 off 19 balls, including a six and five fours inside the powerplay. Ackeem Auguste added a brisk 28 before falling to Sunil Narine, but by then the target was well within sight. Chase continued his fine outing with a flurry of boundaries, and Tim David finished the job in the 12th over, sealing victory with 53 balls to spare.
The result not only snapped TKR’s five-match winning streak but also pushed them down from the top of the table. Meanwhile, the Kings’ surge of momentum, with four wins on the trot, has made them strong contenders heading into the playoffs.
