TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
Follow Us2018 - Champions
2019 - Qualifier-2
2020 - Champions
2021 - Semi-final
2022 - Wooden Spoon
The four-time champions Trinbago Knight Riders will look to bounce back from an uninspiring 2022 season. It was hard to believe that an all-star team like Trinbago suffered the wooden spoon in the previous season. In fact, the 2022 season was the first in which they did not qualify for the semi-final/playoff/knock-out stages.
Trinbago are the most successful team in the history of the Caribbean Premier League. They have the most titles and wins in the tournament (68), and in 2020, they became the only team in CPL to win the trophy without losing a single match. Last year was just an odd season, that's all.
Well, this year as well, there are plenty of stars in their squad.
Changes
As always, Trinbago have retained their core. The prominent retentions are the skipper, Kieron Pollard, all-rounders Sunil Narine and Andre Russell, the powerhouse Nicholas Pooran, and the youngsters Akeal Hosein and Jayden Seales.
They have traded Mark Deyal from St Lucia Kings for Khary Pierre, who was with them since 2017. Dwayne Bravo, who was with Trinbago from its inception till 2020, is reunited with his old team. In between, he played for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots for two years (2021-22).
From the drafts, they have signed Matheesha Pathirana. The slingy-actioned pacer has worked with Bravo in Chennai Super Kings, and the Sri Lankan was one of the key players in Chennai's title-winning season (2023). Rilee Rossouw and Martin Guptill were with Los Angeles Knight Riders in the inaugural season of Major League Cricket and will be playing for the sister franchise - Trinbago - in CPL 2023. Afghanistan's chinaman bowler Noor Ahmed was also drafted in by Trinbago.
Player availability
In Trinbago's squad, there are only four overseas players. Among the four, a cloud of uncertainty remains over Noor Ahmed alone. Afghanistan are yet to announce their team for the 2023 Asia Cup. If he is a squad member, his participation remains a question mark.
Strengths
> On paper, Trinbago is one of the most balanced teams and a favorite for the title. They have a good set of youngsters like Hosein, Seales, Noor, and Pathirana in their ranks. Additionally, West Indies' senior and most experienced players like Pollard, Narine, Russell, Bravo and Pooran provide the required impetus.
> Too much power in the batting line-up. No team would want to bowl against the destructive power of Pooran, Pollard, Russell and Rossouw.
> In the previous season, their bowlers at fag end of the innings conceded 10.7 runs per over, the second-worst. To compensate for that, they have brought in two of the best last-five overs pacers - Bravo and Pathirana.
Weakness
> Trinbago possess an invincible look, not only for this league, but for any T20 side in the world. It is hard to find a weakness in their squad pre-tournament. Once their campaign gets underway, some chinks might unfurl based on the form and fitness of a few players.
Players to watch out for
Who else can be the player to watch out for other than Pooran? The left-handed batter has been in red-hot form in T20s this year. Post the 2023 IPL, the left-hander has 534 runs at an average of 31.4 and a strike rate of 161.3, excluding MLC (Major League Cricket comes under other T20s). In the inaugural season of MLC, he amassed 388 runs at an average of 64.7 while striking at 167.2.
First choice probable XI
With many local stars available, irrespective of Noor Ahmed's availability, he might sit out. Patheerana, Bravo, and Seales might be the preferred pacers, alongside Russell and Pollard if needed. Hosein and Narine will take responsibility in the spin department.
Martin Guptill, Chadwick Walton, Rilee Rossouw, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Kieron Pollard ( c ), Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine, Akeal Hosein, Jayden Seales, Matheesha Pathirana
First match
Trinbago's first encounter will be against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the third match of the season on 19th August in Gros Islet.
