CPL 2020: Match 1: Trinbago Knight Riders vs Guyana Amazon Warriors: Narine powers Trinbago to win

Port of Spain, August 18: The Trinbago Knight Riders began the CPL 2020 with a bang as the three-time champions beat last year's runners-up by four wickets at the Brian Lara Academy here on Tuesday (August 18).

However, the match had a rather slow tempo as the Warriors limped to 144 for 5 in 17 overs after they were asked to bat first and the Knight Riders overhauled the target in 16.4 overs to start their quest for a fourth title in a bright fashion. A slight drizzle and wet ground conditions ensured that the match was a 17-over-a-side affair.

The star of the show was undoubtedly Sunil Narine. He impeded the Warriors' progress grabbing two wickets. He dismissed opener Chanderapul Hemraj for zero, latching on to a catch off his own bowling. But he soon inflicted a much bigger blow on Warriors, ousting Ross Taylor, who looked in pristine touch. Taylor made 33 off 21 balls with two fours and as many sixes.

But Narine castled him to end an innings that promised a much larger output. Narine's spell - 4-0-19-2 - ensured that the Warriors never really settled into a rhythm and the dismissal of Taylor slowed them down considerably. Shimron Hetmyer made a 63 off 44 balls and remained not out but he did not have much support from other end after Taylor's dismissal.

The target looked easy meat for a strong side like the Knight Riders. But Warriors, true to their name, gave a fight. After the early departure of Lendl Simmons, Narine and Colin Munro amassed 34 runs in a little over two overs as the Knight Riders crossed 50 in the sixth over. Romario Shepherd ousted Munro but Narine continued in overdrive as Knight Riders reached 100 in the 11th over.

Narine made 50 off 28 balls with two fours and 4 sixes and just when he was looking to finish off the chase, veteran leggie Imran Tahir had him caught by Keemo Paul at deep. The exit of Narine did put a break on Knight Riders' scoring but Darren Bravo's 30 meant that they stayed on course.

Brief scores: Guyana Amazon Warriors: 144/5 in 17 overs (Shimron Hetmyer 63, Ross Taylor 33, Sunil Narine, 2-19) lost to Trinbago Knight Riders: 147/6 in 16.4 overs (Sunil Narine 50, Darren Bravo 30; Naveen-ul-Haq 2-21, Imran Tahir 2-40) by 4 wickets.