@Nicholas Pooran's reaction after winning the match vs Barbados Royals in CPL 2025
Match Overview:
On August 29, 2025, Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) were to play Barbados Royals (BR) in the 16 th match of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025 at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad. The Knight Riders played a clinical role as it pursued 179 runs within 17.5 overs and won the match by seven wickets. This overwhelming performance due to Colin Munro (67) and Nicholas Pooran (65) was aggressive combined with their batting strength and secured their place at the top of the points table. The Royals, having put up a strong 178/6, could do little with the unremitting TKR batting line up which was aggravated by fielding mistakes and difficult playing conditions due to dew.
Barbados Royals Innings: A Competitive but Insufficient Total Barbados Royals is the batting team that lost the toss but made 178/6 during their 20 overs. The match started with a careful start, Quinton de Kock was thrown early with a low score, thrown out by the TKR skipper Mohammad Amir. One of the reviews (albeit unsuccessful) on the first over was a wicket by TKR, but Amir bowled tight thereby guaranteeing early pressure. King (29 off 23) and Alleyne (41 off 37) bettered the situation at the second wicket by a 56-run stand which took the visitors to 70/1 in the 10th over. Nevertheless, they scored at a low rate as bowlers of TKR, especially Andre Russell and Amir, kept the score down.Sherfane Rutherford came late into the fray, with the highest run of 45 off 22 balls including a four and a six off McKenny Clarke. Captain Rovman Powell too played a big part cleaning Ali Khan off 23 runs in one 18 th over with three sixes and a four. The Royals upsurged during the last six overs, scoring 73 more points to get to 178/6. The highlight bowler of TKR was Russell who ended with a 3/37, Amir with 2/35.
The overall score appeared to be even, however, with the dew factor and the batting-friendly Tarouba conditions.
Key Performances (Royals Batting)
- Sherfane Rutherford: 45 off 22 balls, which gave a late lift.
- Kadeem Alleyne: 41 off 37 balls, keeping the middle overs.
- Brandon King: 29 off 23 balls, stabilising after initial loss.
- Rovman Powell: 23 runs in a single over, a cameo.
Trinbago Knight Riders’ Chase: Munro and Pooran Dominate
When pursuing 179, the openers of TKR, Colin Munro and Alex Hales, moved at a brisk pace, as they galloped to a 55 run powerplay. Munro, the first to assail, took advantage of loose deliveries, and got off, with 30 balls only, to his half-century. The Royals suffered when Munro was at the left end as a dropped catch by Jomel Warrican cost the team and the left-hander went on to fire further. Hales 19 off 14 made a fall in the sixth over, but the tide remained squarely with TKR.
Nicholas Pooran, who entered at position number 3, brought the offense to the bowlers in the Royals and especially to the captain of the Royals, Rovman Powell. Pooran hit 3 three consecutive sixes off Powell in 10th over on the verge of changing the direction of the game and in the favor of TKR. The partnership between Munro and Pooran, which included 93 runs, was built on only 54 balls, was the one that gave the chase its foundation. Munro had to go after being dismissed through a run-out in the 15 th over with 67 and TKR was only required 30 runs at a run-a-ball rate. The TKR captain, Kieron Pollard, did not allow any hiccups to occur, crushing two sixes and a four in his nine-ball cameo. The chase was ended with a 18 th over unbeaten 65 by Pooran, sprinkled with boundaries and calculated aggression.
Key Performances (TKR Batting)
- Colin Munro: 67 off roughly 40 balls and he opened the powerplay.
- Nicholas Pooran: Unbeaten 65, with three consecutive sixes in a game-changing over.
- Alex Hales: 19 off 14, assisting a good powerplay.
- Kieron Pollard: Rapid fireless entry, closing the pursuit in style.
Turning points and Tactical Insights:
The game was characterized by some critical moments. In the case of Royals, the fact that they failed to cash on initial discoveries and the catch of Munro was crucial. The aspect of dew rendered the ball un-grippable to their bowlers especially in the second half of the chase at TKR. The bowlers of the Royals had a problem of poor consistency as they gave away 56 runs during the powerplay and had no chance to break the Munro-Pooran partnership until late.
In the case of TKR, they were aggressive in their powerplay that established a tone. The required run rate was manageable, and this was done with an intention by Munro so that Pooran could play freely. The move to employ Amir and Russell at the middle and death overs limited the Royals to a chasable amount. The attack by Poorean on Powell, and the three-six over, in particular, proved to be a pivot moment in the game since it slowed down the Royalties bowling and put the game strongly in the favor of TKR.
Bowling and Fielding Analysis:
TKR bowlers headed by Russell and Amir were disciplined. The changes and precision helped the Royals curb their scoring in the middle overs as Russell changed and Amir was accurate. Ali Khan, at 18th costly, at least bought himself with key wickets. The bowling on the part of the Royals, though, was not penetrating. Their most successful bowler was Ramon Simmonds (1/28) though the others like Powell bowed under pressure. Their problems were also worsened by fielding lapses including the dropped catch by Warrican.
Points Table Impact:
The seven wicket victory with 13 balls remaining to spare improved the net run rate of TKR as they are at the top of the CPL 2025 points table with St Lucia Kings trailing behind them because of a lower net run rate. Three defeats and a draw in four games placed the Royals at the bottom end, and in need of a miracle that would jump start their season.
Player of the Match
Colin Munro has been awarded Player of the Match because of his bombastic 67 that set the groundwork to a powerful chase of TKR. His destructive nature in the powerplay, and capacity to exploit the fielding misjudgments of Royals preconditioned the finishing by Pooran.
Conclusion:
The 7-wicket win by the Trinbago Knight Riders over the Barbados Royals was equivalent of their claim to the title in CPL 2025. A batting masterclass by Munro and Pooran coupled with a disciplined bowling by Russell and Amir gave a complete victory. In the case of Royals, the defeat underlined their problem of consistency and fielding, and there is a lot to reflect as the tournament continues. The performance of TKR in the clinical arena highlighted their ability and flexibility and thus they will be a powerhouse when it comes to winning the CPL 2025 competition.
Brief Scores:
Barbados Royals 178/6 in 20 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 45, Kadeem Alleyne 41; Andre Russell 3-37) lost to Trinbago Knight Riders 179/3 in 17.5 overs (Colin Munro 67, Nicholas Pooran 65*; Jomel Warrican 1-24) by 7 wickets.