TRINBAGO Knight Riders (TKR) skipper Kieron Pollard credited a total team performance for Tuesday’s emphatic 75-run victory over Jamaica Tallawahs in match 19 of the Hero Caribbean Premier League T20 tournament at Warner Park in St Kitts.

Sent in to bat, the defending champions TKR were struggling to get runs on the board at 105/4 after 17.2 overs.

However, a late but timely unbeaten partnership of 62 runs from 17 balls courtesy Pollard (39 not out) and Kiwi international Tim Seifert (24 not out) eventually propelled TKR to a worthy score of 167/4 from the final 16 balls. Chasing 168 for victory, Jamaica Tallawahs never had a chance as American pacer Ali Khan (4/6), in his first appearance for TKR this season, dismantled the top order and had them reeling at 9/3 after four overs.

Sunil Narine (2/11), Ravi Rampaul (2/32), Khary Pierre (1/19) and Akeal Hosein (1/21) completed a stellar bowling performance for TKR as the Tallawahs crumbled for 92 after 18.2 overs.

Pollard rued TKR’s slow start with the bat but heaped praises on Seifert and his bowling attack for getting them over the line when it mattered most.

[caption id="attachment_911740" align="alignnone" width="683"] Tim Seifert, of Trinbago Knight Riders, plays a shot that goes for four runs during the 2021 Hero Caribbean Premier League match 9 against Saint Lucia Kings at Warner Park Sporting Complex on Tuesday, in Basseterre, St Kitts, - via CPL T20[/caption]

In the post-match interview, Pollard said, “It was pretty difficult out there. (It was) not the ideal situation you want to be in after 17 overs but you have to take the conditions into consideration. What we need to do sometimes is hold that charge a bit longer.

“Having Tim and myself at the end, Tim gave us an impetus because at one point the guys were saying ‘Pollard come off strike and give Tim the strike’. But it was a total team effort. It wasn’t easy. Getting 160 plus, I thought we were right in the game.”

TKR started their innings with usual opener Lendl Simmons and tournament debutant Leonardo Julien. The latter started a bit shaky but soon found form before he perished for 17 runs (46/1). Simmons (42) played an unfamiliar patient knock and struck just one six and three fours before going out caught and bowled by Carlos Brathwaite (84/2). Munro also took some time to get going but he was next to return to the stands as he was stumped by Tallawahs wicketkeeper Kennar Lewis (86/3).

[caption id="attachment_911741" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Ali Khan (left) of Trinbago Knight Riders celebrates the dismissal of Sharmarh Brooks (right) of Jamaica Tallawahs during the 2021 Hero Caribbean Premier League match 19 at Warner Park Sporting Complex on September 7 in Basseterre, St Kitts. (Photo by CPL T20) -[/caption]

Darren Bravo hit three fours in his knock of 14 from 14 balls but his dismissal after 17.2 overs opened the floodgates for big-hitter Pollard and new batsman Seifert (105/4).

Off the final 16 balls, the pair combined to smash 62 runs, Pollard slamming four sixes and