Miller powers Royals to victory

An unfortunate floodlight failure at the National Stadium in Providence led to a dramatic finish in the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Eliminator.

After a two-hour delay, the Barbados Royals chased down a revised target of 60 runs in just five overs, thanks to a stunning display of power-hitting by David Miller.

The Royals made short work of the target, with Miller almost single-handedly guiding his side to victory, smashing a 17-ball fifty that included five sixes and three fours.

The match concluded with four balls to spare, as Miller’s performance secured the Royals a spot in the second eliminator.

The Trinbago Knight Riders, who won the toss and elected to bat, had reached 168/3 from 19.1 overs before the floodlights failed. Nicholas Pooran anchored their innings with a masterful 91 not out off 60 balls. He was supported by Jason Roy, who contributed 25 off 17 balls, after the early loss of Sunil Narine, bowled by Maheesh Theekshana on the third ball of the match. Late-order contributions from captain Kieron Pollard (17) and Andre Russell (20) helped push the score towards 170.

Despite the high total, the Royals’ bowlers did well to restrict further damage, ensuring the target remained chaseable.

After the floodlight delay, the Royals’ chase got off to a rocky start as Quinton de Kock was bowled by Narine on the third ball of the first over.

The delivery clipped the bails, leaving de Kock bewildered, but Miller responded by smashing the next ball for six over midwicket, setting the tone for the rest of the innings.

Miller soon took full control, hitting Chris Jordan for a boundary over point and then launching a massive 106-metre six off Narine. With 25 runs needed from the last two overs, Miller remained composed. He hit back-to-back fours off Jordan, followed by a full toss that was hammered for six.

That penultimate over cost the Knight Riders 17 runs, leaving the Royals needing just eight from the final over.

Miller finished the job in style, hitting consecutive sixes off Terence Hinds to seal the win. His brutal hitting earned him the Player of the Match award and propelled the Barbados Royals into the next stage of the tournament after a tense, floodlight-interrupted night in Guyana.

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