Cornwall, Nawaz keep Falcons on top; TKR on brink of elimination

Rahkeem Cornwall’s seven-ball 20 at the top of the order and three wickets in the powerplay during the chase, combined with Hasan Nawaz’s 76, stretched Antigua and Barbuda Falcons’ lead at the top of the table in what might have been Kieron Pollard’s final home game for Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) in the CPL.
After their third consecutive loss, TKR sit second-last in the points table and are on the brink of elimination, having suffered their sixth defeat in eight games this season.
Falcons set TKR a target of 184 and, in response, Pollard and Joshua Da Silva shared a 55-run partnership for the sixth wicket to keep them alive almost until the end. Pollard, who was battling an injury while on the field, scored 41 from 36 balls before he holed out to deep midwicket off Joshua James in the 18th over. A diving catch by Jayden Seales left TKR needing 36 from 15 balls. As he walked off, the 39-year-old Pollard raised his arms and received a standing ovation from his teammates and the crowd, signalling that it might be the end of his 13-year CPL career, although TKR have two games remaining.
James conceded just three runs in that over and Shamar Springer nine in the next, leaving TKR needing 26 from the final over. James began with a single and two dot balls, leaving TKR needing 25 from the final three deliveries. Da Silva struck six, four and six, but TKR fell eight runs short.
Cornwall’s three for 17 — accounting for three left-handed batters — had long delivered the decisive blow in the chase, reducing TKR to 63 for four at the end of the six-over powerplay. He had Colin Munro sky one to mid-on and Sunil Narine caught at long-off in the space of three balls before claiming the key wicket of Nicholas Pooran for 22 towards the end of the powerplay.
Earlier, Cornwall had also made a rapid start with the bat, hitting four consecutive fours in the first over off Akeal Hossain and another off Usman Tariq before the latter bowled him via an inside edge. Thereafter, Nawaz took over. He arrived at the crease in the seventh over and smashed 76 from 48 balls, putting on a century stand with captain Moeen Ali. The pair shared a 108-run partnership from 61 balls for the fourth wicket before Nawaz holed out to long-off in the final over, having struck nine fours and three sixes. Moeen finished with three fours and a six in his innings of 32 from 24 balls.
TKR also dropped two chances — including Nawaz on 36 — and missed two run-out opportunities, both of which saw Moeen survive at the bowler’s end. The fine margins proved decisive as defending champions TKR ended the night with much to ponder. (www.espncricinfo.com)