Kamil Pooran delivered a masterful unbeaten 81 off 49 balls to lead the Saint Lucia Kings to a six-wicket victory over the Jamaica Kingsmen in the 2026 Caribbean Premier League. The match, held at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet on Friday, saw the Kings successfully chase a target of 172 with 10 balls to spare. Matthew Forde was the standout performer with the ball, claiming a decisive five-wicket haul that restricted the Kingsmen to 169 runs.
The Chase and Partnership Dynamics
Chasing 172, the Kings suffered an early setback with the loss of Tim Seifert. However, Kamil Pooran and John Campbell stabilized the innings with a 66-run partnership off just 39 deliveries. Campbell contributed 23 off 19 balls before being dismissed by Vitel Lawes. Despite losing two further partners in quick succession, Pooran found a reliable ally in Obus Pienaar. Pienaar provided a crucial late-order surge, scoring an unbeaten 34 off just 14 balls, including two sixes and four boundaries. Their unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 57 runs ensured the Kings reached the target comfortably, with Pooran finishing his innings featuring six fours and five sixes.
Forde’s Dominance and Jamaica’s Innings
- Matthew Forde dismantled the Jamaica Kingsmen top order, striking four times within the Powerplay to leave the side reeling at 54/5 by the sixth over.
- Forde finished with impressive figures of 5-23 from his four overs, earning him the Player of the Match award.
- Keacy Carty anchored the Kingsmen innings with a composed 45-ball 50, while Usman Khan provided early momentum with 28 off 11 balls.
- Andre Russell added a quick 25 off 15 balls, including three sixes, and Odean Smith provided a late flourish with an unbeaten 27 off 17 balls to help Jamaica reach 169.
Match Outcome and Standings
The victory propels the Saint Lucia Kings to the top of the CPL 2026 points table. For the Jamaica Kingsmen, the loss represents a missed opportunity to claim the lead, as both teams entered the contest with identical records of two wins from five matches. Brief scores: Jamaica Kingsmen 169/9 in 20 overs (Keacy Carty 50, Usman Khan 28; Matthew Forde 5-23) lost to Saint Lucia Kings 171/4 in 18.2 overs (Kamil Pooran 81*, Obus Pienaar 34*; Vitel Lawes 2-22, Hunain Shah 2-34) by 6 wickets. The report also notes that matthew Forde helped set-up the win with a five-fer in the first innings to keep Kingsmen to 169 after a composed half-century by Keacy Carty.
