Antigua and Barbuda Falcons (ABF) pacer Mohammad Amir produced a moment of brilliance in the 2024 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) by uprooting the stumps of Trinbago Knight Riders’ (TKR) all-rounder Sunil Narine. In the 20th match of the tournament, held in Trinidad on September 19, Amir’s fiery delivery ended Narine’s brief stay at the crease, extending his poor run with the bat.
The dismissal occurred in Amir’s first over, after Narine struck him for a boundary on the third ball. However, Amir responded immediately with a full, fast delivery that angled in towards the left-hander. Narine, showing minimal footwork, awkwardly attempted to fend off the ball but was beaten by pace. The delivery ricocheted off Narine’s pads, smashing into the stumps and sending both the middle and off stumps flying.
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Narine’s Struggles Continue
Narine, who has struggled to find form in the CPL 2024, was dismissed for just four runs. His failure against Amir added to a series of low scores, including a four-ball duck in the reverse fixture earlier in the season. Despite a strong IPL 2024 campaign for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), where Narine thrived in the top order, his CPL performances have not mirrored that success. In six matches, Narine has accumulated just 67 runs at a strike rate of 163.41.
His lack of contributions with the bat has raised concerns, especially considering his pivotal role in the team’s success over the years. Narine’s woes were compounded earlier in the tournament when he was clean-bowled by a peach of a delivery from Moeen Ali during a clash against Guyana Amazon Warriors.
Amir Shines as ABF Secure Victory
Amir’s early breakthrough set the tone for ABF’s bowling performance, as they restricted TKR to 134-8 in their allotted 20 overs. Despite a late surge from Kieron Pollard, who targeted Amir in the penultimate over, the left-arm pacer finished with respectable figures of 1-31. His disciplined bowling helped ABF maintain control throughout the innings.
Sunil Narine attempted to make up for his failure with the bat by delivering an economical bowling performance. He bowled a tight spell of 1-20 from his four overs, which included a maiden. However, his efforts were not enough to prevent ABF from chasing down the target comfortably, with six wickets in hand and an over to spare.
Controversial Moment in the Match
The match wasn’t without controversy. ABF’s Imad Wasim was initially given out LBW by the Decision Review System (DRS), even though the ultra-edge technology displayed a spike, suggesting a potential inside edge. Wasim made his way back to the pavilion, only for the decision to be overturned, causing confusion and uproar on the field. The incident added to the tension of an otherwise competitive match.
With this win, ABF completed the double over TKR in CPL 2024, cementing their strong position in the tournament. The next CPL match is scheduled for September 21, where Guyana Amazon Warriors will take on St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots.
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