TKR eager to defend title

REPLACEMENT Trinbago Knight Riders captain Kieron Pollard said the team are taking their injuries and missing players in stride and are confident ahead of the opening match of the 2019 Hero Caribbean Premier League T20 Tournament ,against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, at the Queen’s Park Oval, in St Clair at 7 pm, tonight.

Pollard will fill in for regular TKR captain Dwayne Bravo tonight and possibly for the following two home matches, as the latter is still recovering from a finger injury on his left hand. Defending champions TKR will also be without Darren Bravo and Colin Munro. Darren suffered a blow to the head in the second Test match against India on Sunday and is suffering with a concussion and Munro is on international duty with New Zealand. Munro will miss TKR’s first three matches, Dwayne could miss significant time and Darren will be monitored daily.

Pollard said having a number of players missing is not ideal, but they are moving ahead.

“We got together last week. It has not been great for us (with) the leader of our team going down...(Dwayne) Bravo has injured his middle finger, so hence the reason I am sitting in his place here,” Pollard said at a press conference, at Hilton Hotel, in Port of Spain, yesterday. “Having said that these things happen in sport and as a franchise and as a team and as individuals we have to take that on the chin and we have to move on.”

Discussing Darren’s injury, Pollard said, “In all honesty, I don’t expect him to take the park tomorrow (today) please God. I am sure the fans of Trinbago Knight Riders will be seeing Darren in his colours pretty soon, so definitely not the first game tomorrow...first time a Trinbago Knight Riders (team) taking the field without any of the Bravos in it.”

Pollard, who will make his debut for TKR tonight, is anticipating the match.

“Firstly, on a personal level, it is good that I will be walking out to the Queen’s Park Oval and everyone will be with me this time...that in itself is a booster. Being entrusted leadership is not something I was looking at at this point in time. I was thinking about coming to Trinidad and enjoying the atmosphere like everybody else and looking to perform and play under Bravo.”

Pollard captained Barbados Tridents from 2013-2017, before leading St Lucia Stars in 2017.

The all rounder said all eyes will be on TKR to start with a win, but he is eager about the start of the tournament.

“Here, I am sitting here having to lead Trinbago and looking forward to it, pretty excited. Obviously, the pressure is going to be high as in anything else, but you don’t want things too easy in life, so again I am going to work hard. I have the backing of the management staff and all the players.”

Patriots captain Carlos Brathwaite is anxious for the tournament to bowl off.

“We think the boys are raring and ready to go to have a proper run out. We are doing some work on and off the field whether it be in the gym, whether it be in the nets, so morale is high as is with all teams before a tournament. Thankfully we received a boost with Mohammed Hafeez coming in yesterday (Monday)...a few other guys are coming for the second game and then for the home leg.”

FULL SQUADS –

TKR

Kieron Pollard, Seekkuge Prasanna, Ali Khan, Colin Munro, Muhammad Hasnain, James Neesham, Sunil Narine, Dwayne Bravo, , Denesh Ramdin, Darren Bravo, Khary Pierre, Amir Jangoo, Anderson Philip, Mark Deyal, Tion Webster, Javon Searles, Akeal Hosein, Lendl Simmons

Patriots

Carlos Brathwaite (captain), Laurie Evans, Usama Mir, Mohammad Hafeez, Fabian Allen, Evin Lewis,, Sheldon Cottrell, Devon Thomas, Rayad Emrit, Shamarh Brooks, Dominic Drakes, Jeremiah Louis, Keron Cottoy, Akeem Jordan, Aaron Jones, Jason Mohammed, Kjorn Ottley, Alzarri Joseph.