Pooran blasts unbeaten 81 as Forde’s five-for powers Kings past Jamaica

Saint Lucia Kings closed out their home leg of the Caribbean Premier League in emphatic fashion, combining Matthew Forde’s devastating five-wicket haul with an unbeaten 81 from Kamil Pooran to defeat Jamaica Kingsmen by six wickets at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground on Friday night.

The Kings successfully hunted down Jamaica’s 169 for nine in the penultimate over, recovering from an early period of caution in the chase to complete a convincing all-round performance in Match 13 of the competition.

Forde rips through Jamaica’s top order

Saint Lucia’s victory was set up with the ball.

Forde ripped into the Jamaica batting order during a remarkable PowerPlay spell, claiming four wickets in three overs and repeatedly disrupting the Kingsmen’s attempts to build momentum.

Jamaica briefly threatened to counterattack when Usman launched a rapid 28 from only 11 deliveries, but Forde ended the assault by claiming his wicket.

The fast bowler struck again immediately. One delivery later, Powell attempted to steer the ball toward third, only to find Theekshana.

Forde then played a crucial role in another dismissal that initially appeared unlikely. Hassan was given not out, but Forde immediately urged captain Roston Chase to review the decision. The replay confirmed that Hassan was trapped lbw, giving Saint Lucia another breakthrough.

Van Schalkwyk had earlier supplied the Kings with their first wicket, while Bishop and Theekshana also joined the attack as Jamaica struggled to establish a sustained partnership.

Carty holds Jamaica together

With wickets falling around him, Carty became the stabilizing force Jamaica desperately needed.

Rather than being drawn into the chaos, he concentrated on rebuilding the innings and eventually reached a valuable half-century.

Russell and Smith provided vital support, combining for 52 runs with Carty as the Kingsmen gradually transformed a precarious position into a defendable total.

But Forde returned to end Carty’s resistance and complete his five-wicket haul, leaving Jamaica at 169 for nine.

The total offered Saint Lucia a manageable target, but Jamaica still had an opportunity if it could reproduce the pressure created by Forde.

Kingsmen apply early pressure

Saint Lucia approached the chase with considerably more restraint than in their earlier matches.

Instead of aggressively attacking from the outset, the Kings prioritized preserving wickets, particularly after witnessing Jamaica’s batting collapse in clusters.

For the first time in the tournament, Saint Lucia recorded a PowerPlay score below 40.

Jamaica’s Lawes and Hunain maintained the pressure with disciplined bowling, restricting the Kings and preventing the chase from immediately gathering momentum.

But Pooran remained patient.

Pooran takes control

As the innings progressed, the Saint Lucia opener began to dictate the chase.

The decisive partnership came when Pienaar arrived at No. 6 for his first appearance of the season. Rather than needing time to adjust, Pienaar immediately settled into the chase and provided Pooran with the ideal partner.

The pair mixed calculated aggression with sensible shot selection, steadily removing the pressure created during the opening overs.

Their unbeaten 57-run partnership transformed the contest.

By the time the match entered its final two overs, Saint Lucia needed only a run a ball.

Pooran then delivered the decisive blow.

A full toss presented the opportunity, and he sent it soaring over the boundary for six, effectively putting the result beyond Jamaica’s reach.

The finish became even easier when Hunain followed with a delivery that strayed well down the leg side, running away for five wides.

Saint Lucia had completed the chase.

A perfect home-leg finish

Pooran walked away unbeaten on 81, while Forde’s five-wicket demolition of Jamaica’s batting ensured the Kings never lost control of the contest.

The victory provided Saint Lucia with the ideal conclusion to their home leg: a performance in which their bowling attack created the advantage, their middle order absorbed pressure and their leading batter supplied the finishing punch.

For Jamaica, Carty’s determined half-century and the late contributions from Russell and Smith were not enough to compensate for the damage inflicted by Forde.

The Kingsmen’s 169 for nine ultimately proved vulnerable, while Saint Lucia’s measured response ensured that the home side completed its pursuit with six wickets in hand and an over to spare.