Hosein silences Providence, TKR clinch 5th CPL title

TRINBAGO Knight Riders stormed to their fifth Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) title when they defeated Guyana Amazon Warriors by three wickets in a low-scoring 2025 finale at Providence Stadium, Guyana, on September 21.

Chasing a modest 131-run target, TKR stumbled in the latter part of their innings as the Warriors battled back through skipper Imran Tahir (three for 34), who struck a huge double-blow of Kieron Pollard (21 off 12 balls) and the dangerous Andre Russell (golden duck) in the 16th over. When Russell was spectacularly caught by Moeen Ali at slip, TKR slipped to 114 for six and still needed 17 runs off the last 25 balls.

In the next over, the belief among the Guyana faithful grew when pacer Shamar Joseph (two for nine) got the scalp of opener Alex Hales (26 off 34) with a skiddy delivery which seemed to take the Englishman by surprise. With their score on 116 for seven at that stage, TKR still had a nervy wait to get over the line as they still needed 15 runs with three wickets intact.

In the 18th over, Akeal Hosein once again showed his worth with bat in hand when he hit fellow left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie for a brilliant slog sweep for six before icing the game when he dispatched a full toss to the backward square leg boundary for four. Hosein finished on 16 not out off seven and his cameo was a thrilling one, which took TKR to their first title on foreign soil as they got to 133 for seven from 18 overs, winning with 12 balls to spare.

Though the run chase wasn't the most fluid, TKR's winning effort was set up by a clinical bowling performance, which was led by US addition Saurabh Netravalkar, who returned impressive figures of three for 25 from his overs as the Warriors made a modest 130 for eight. Netravalkar got the wicket of a surging Ben McDermott (28 off 17) in the power play, before returning at the death to remove the pair of Dwaine Pretorius (25 off 18) and Iftikhar Ahmed (30 off 27), who threatened to break away at the back end for the Warriors with a 43-run partnership for the sixth wicket.

Man of the Match Hosein (two for 26) also had a fine spell and got the big wickets of key men Shai Hope (12) and Shimron Hetmyer (four) to help stall the flow in the Warriors' innings.

At the halfway stage, the Warriors didn't seem to have much of a prayer, and the match appeared to be done and dusted when the 2025 MVP Pollard hit Tahir for three sixes in an eventful 14th over, which left TKR needing just 22 off the last six overs. Tahir fought back in the 16th over when he removed Pollard and Russell off consecutive balls, but a determined Hosein had the final say and silenced the Providence crowd with two decisive swings of his bat to give the Trinidad and Tobago franchise their first CPL win since 2020.

For the Warriors, it's back-to-back finals losses at home and will be a tough pill to swallow as they ponder what could have been.

Summarised Scores:

GUYANA AMAZON WARRIORS - 130/8 from 20 overs (Iftikhar Ahmed 30, Ben McDermott 28; Saurabh Netravalkar 3/25, Akeal Hosein 2/26) vs TKR - 133/7 from 18 overs (Alex Hales 26, Colin Munro 23; Imran Tahir 3/34, Shamar Joseph 2/9). TKR won by three wickets.