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St Lucia Kings
St Kitts and Nevis Patriots
The Caribbean Premier League action continues on Sunday as Antigua and Barbuda Falcons take on defending champions St. Lucia Kings in North Sound.
The Falcons have made a steady start to the tournament with one win and one defeat, placing them third on the points table under the leadership of Imad Wasim. They will be eager to build consistency and secure another victory in front of their home crowd.
Meanwhile, St. Lucia Kings begin their title defence with this clash and will be determined to set the tone early in their campaign. Having beaten the Falcons twice in last yearβs group stage, theyβll carry confidence into this fixture, but the hosts will be desperate to turn the tables this time around.
In form from the last match, Karim Gore is likely to anchor the innings again.
The betting tip is...
Top Falcons Batter - Karim Gore
76 %
24 %
St Lucia KingsSt Kitts and Nevis PatriotsSt Kitts and Nevis Patriots will look for stronger contributions across the board as they prepare for their next CPL challenge. In the batting lineup, much will depend on Jewel Andrew, Rahkeem Cornwall, Bevon Jacobs, Karim Gore, Shakib Al Hasan, Fabian Allen, and skipper Imad Wasim to provide the runs.
Karim Gore impressed in the previous outing, top-scoring with an unbeaten 64 off 53 balls, while Andrew added a handy 28 and Wasim chipped in with a quick 16.
With the ball, the Patriots have several reliable options. Odean Smith, Fabian Allen, Imad Wasim, Jayden Seales, and AM Ghazanfar are expected to shoulder the responsibility of making key breakthroughs.
In the last match, Jayden Seales and Obed McCoy both struck twice, showing the kind of impact the attack will need to replicate if they are to trouble opponents consistently.
Predicted Lineup: Jewel Andrew (wk), Rahkeem Cornwall, Karima Gore, Bevon Jacobs, Shakib Al Hasan, Fabian Allen, Imad Wasim (c), Odean Smith, AM Ghazanfar, Jayden Seales, Obed McCoy
Defending champions Saint Lucia Kings will be banking on their core players to deliver as they look to get their campaign underway. In the batting department, the spotlight will be on Roston Chase, David Wiese, Johnson Charles, Aaron Jones, and Tim Seifert to provide stability and power.
Charles, in particular, was outstanding last season, piling up 452 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 153.22, and he will once again be a key figure at the top.
With the ball, the Kings have a potent attack led by Khary Pierre, Matthew Forde, Tabraiz Shamsi, David Wiese, and strike pacer Alzarri Joseph. Joseph was in fine form last year, taking 16 wickets at an economy of 8.25, and his ability to make early inroads could set the tone for the side.
Supported by Shamsiβs variations in the middle overs, the Kingsβ bowling unit looks well-equipped to challenge the Falcons.
Predicted Lineup: Aaron Jones, David Wiese, Delano Potgieter, Keon Gaston, Roston Chase, Johnson Charles, Tim Seifert, Tabraiz Shamsi, Alzarri Joseph, Khary Pierre, Ackeem Auguste
Saint Lucia Kings have the stronger pedigree with Johnson Charles and Alzarri Joseph as proven match-winners, while the Falcons rely heavily on Karim Gore and Imad Wasim to fire again.
Playing at home gives the Falcons an edge, but the Kingsβ depth in both batting and bowling makes them slight favourites to clinch this contest.
