The biggest party in cricket, the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2024, has come to an end.
The tournament had several exciting moments this season and surely lived up to its billing as a party. There were plenty of devastating batting performances on display this year, and the bowling was also top class.
If you had been following the action here on cricketworld.com, you would have had the chance to win some very cool prizes through our Mr. Predictor contest, brought to you in association with Betbarter.
From the start of the tournament, we had been making our predictions about the top performers and, of course, the side best placed to win the title. We threw our weight behind the defending champions, the Guyana Amazon Warriors, who looked like a top side on paper. They were led by the youthful Imran Tahir, who, at 45, was still giving the youngsters in the side a run for their money.
The other side we thought would pose a significant challenge was the star-studded Trinbago Knight Riders. A galaxy of T20 stars was part of the Knight Riders lineup. It was a roster that featured anyone and everyone wanted by franchises across the T20 universe. However, they ultimately came up short.
The top four teams to make the playoffs were Guyana in the number one position, St. Lucia Kings in second, Knight Riders in third, and Barbados Royals in fourth.
St. Lucia Kings was the surprise package of the season. They had some consistent performers throughout, ensuring they sailed into the playoffs. Led by the experienced Faf du Plessis, who seems to be getting younger every day, St. Lucia was a force. Du Plessis struck a wonderful partnership with his opening partner, Johnson Charles, and together they wreaked havoc throughout the competition.
With so much on the line, there was plenty to look forward to in the playoffs, which took place at Providence Stadium in Guyana.
First up, Barbados eliminated Trinbago in the eliminator, thanks to David Miller’s brilliance. This win meant Barbados had one more shot at claiming a place in the final.
In the first qualifier, St. Lucia stunned the defending champions, Guyana, thanks to their opening pair of skipper du Plessis and Charles. The openers laid a solid foundation, helping St. Lucia get past Guyana and into the final for the first time ever.
This set up a showdown for a place in the final between Guyana and Barbados. England’s recently retired star all-rounder, Moeen Ali, came through in a big way for Guyana, helping them overcome Barbados. Ali’s all-around performance was key to Guyana reaching the final for the second year in a row. Despite being a late addition, Ali made an impact throughout the tournament.
The stage was set for a dramatic finale. We anticipated some nerve-wracking moments, but it was not to be. This was thanks to a brilliant performance by Noor Ahmad, the Afghanistan spinner for St. Lucia, who baffled the Guyana batters, turning the final into a one-sided affair. In the end, St. Lucia had it easy as they claimed their first-ever CPL championship.
For Guyana, it was the sixth time they finished as runners-up in the CPL. They will need to address their shortcomings if they are to improve their record in the CPL title rounds.
When it comes to individual performers, we’ve already mentioned the top batters and bowlers from St. Lucia. But there were other notable performers, especially among the batters.
Nicholas Pooran of Trinbago topped the run-getters’ list, followed by Barbados’ Quinton de Kock. St. Lucia’s opening pair of du Plessis and Charles were also among the top run-scorers, while Guyana’s Shimron Hetmyer ranked fifth.
In terms of strike rates, usual suspects like Trinbago’s Andre Russell and Romario Shepherd of Guyana featured prominently, along with Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
However, as always, bowling was a crucial aspect of the tournament. Bowlers win tournaments, while batters set up matches. St. Lucia was well-served by Noor Ahmad. Other top bowlers included Maheesh Theekshana, Gudakesh Motie, and Tahir. As expected, spinners dominated as the pitches wore down, with the exception of St. Lucia’s fast bowler, Alzarri Joseph.
Even in terms of economy rates, spinners led the way, with players like Sunil Narine and Haydn Walsh performing well.
Overall, the tournament offered countless memorable moments and gave everyone a chance to win cool prizes via cricketworld.com. All you had to do was log on and participate in Mr. Predictor, brought to you in association with Betbarter.
©Cricket World 2024
