Tahir sinks Kings as CPL playoff hopes fade

The Saint Lucia Kings have lost their final group-stage game of this year’s Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League, making their chances of playoff qualification a mathematical improbability. Winning the toss and electing to bat first, the Kings made a solid start in the powerplay, ending that phase on 51 for 2. Kamil Pooran scored most of the runs during the powerplay and was the top scorer with 43 before his dismissal left the Kings at 60 for 3. The next six wickets fell for just 21 runs. Amazon Warriors skipper Imran Tahir spun a web around the Kings’ batters, claiming remarkable figures of 5 for 17.

At 47, he became the oldest player to get a five-wicket haul in the CPL, and his figures are the best ever by a captain in the league. Bangladesh all rounder Mehidy Hasan Miraz, making his CPL debut, claimed three wickets for just 13 runs, finishing with an impressive economy rate of 3. 25. The Boys in Blue were on the ropes at 81 for 9 before Obus Pienaar and Maheesh Theekshana put together a 38-run partnership for the final wicket, lifting the Kings to 119. The screws were tightened early when the Amazon Warriors came out to bat, with the hosts reaching 40 for 1 after 10 overs. After losing a few more wickets, the Warriors needed 48 runs from…