Kingsmen fall short, but Powell celebrates journey to CPL final
Key Points(5)
- Rovman Powell says Jamaica Kingsmen have plenty to celebrate despite their Caribbean Premier League title bid ending one victory short at Kensington Oval on Sunday.
- The CPL’s newest franchise was beaten by eight wickets by Antigua & Barbuda Falcons in the final, denying Kingsmen the opportunity to crown their inaugural campaign with a championship.
- But for Powell, the bigger story was how the team responded after a disastrous opening to the tournament.
- Kingsmen lost their first three matches before recovering strongly enough to reach the playoffs and ultimately advance to the championship game.
- “It’s a good feeling, to be honest.
Rovman Powell says Jamaica Kingsmen have plenty to celebrate despite their Caribbean Premier League title bid ending one victory short at Kensington Oval on Sunday.
The CPL’s newest franchise was beaten by eight wickets by Antigua & Barbuda Falcons in the final, denying Kingsmen the opportunity to crown their inaugural campaign with a championship.
But for Powell, the bigger story was how the team responded after a disastrous opening to the tournament.
Kingsmen lost their first three matches before recovering strongly enough to reach the playoffs and ultimately advance to the championship game.
“It’s a good feeling, to be honest. I think it’s a very hard-fought campaign for us. I’m so proud of the boys. I honestly feel it’s a proud journey for us. We have accomplished a lot of things. We set out to be in the finals, and when we came to the tournament, we wanted to see if we could progress all the way,” Powell said.
Belief grows on home soil
The early defeats left Kingsmen with little room for error, but their fortunes began to change once they returned to Jamaica and found momentum in front of their home supporters.
That turnaround, Powell believes, was where the team's belief began to take hold.
“It was a slow start to the competition as we lost our first few games, but we built a little bit of momentum with our home crowd back home in Jamaica, and from there the guys started to believe that we could actually play cricket.
“We went to Trinidad, which is a difficult place to play cricket, and we played a very good game down there. That confidence kept building within the team.”
The results soon followed.
As Kingsmen moved through the tournament, the possibility of reaching the final became increasingly realistic. Once they secured their place among the final four, Powell said, the players recognized just how much danger they could pose to the rest of the field.
“We knew that as soon as we squeezed into the last four of the competition how dangerous our team could be, and the guys just kept chipping in.”
Leadership tested, players responded
For Powell, the team's progress was ultimately a reflection of the commitment shown throughout the squad.
The captain credited the players for responding to the direction provided by himself and head coach and continuing to contribute as the campaign gathered momentum.
“Credit has to be given to them throughout the entire competition. They listened to the leadership that myself and the head coach provided, and I am actually proud of the boys,” he added.
The defeat in the final inevitably left disappointment, particularly after Kingsmen had fought their way back from 0-3 to reach the championship game.
Yet their inaugural season ended with a franchise having already established itself as a serious contender, and, for Powell, a team that had learned how to overcome adversity together.
