The St Lucia Zouks’ mix of smarts and firepower saw them home in a breathless chase, after a heavy rain shower cut short a Barbados Tridents innings that started brilliantly but was derailed the Zouks’ battery of off-spinners. A late burst of four wickets for 11 runs in 18 just balls proved crucial in keeping the revised target in range, as the power of Rakheem Cornwall and the perennial excellence of Mohammad Nabi meant even Rashid Khan couldn’t deny the Zouks their first win of Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2020.

A couple of top edges and a bruising straight hit saw Cornwall take 13 off Tridents captain Jason Holder in the first over of the chase, but Rashid’s googly did for him as it has so many before, Shai Hope having ample time to complete a stumping. Jonathan Carter held leg-side catches to dismiss Najibullah Zadran and Nabi, but not before the latter had backed up a superb bowling spell with a six and a four off his countryman Rashid. Andre Fletcher made victory a formality with a Hero Maximum of his own off the champion leg-spinner, and with scores level he guided Raymon Reifer through point for four to seal victory with four balls to spare.

At the start of the day Holder bucked the trend of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) so far and chose to bat, backing the all-round abilities of his four spinners in glorious conditions that were a far cry from the damp and grey of the end of the match. There was backing for spin too from Daren Sammy, as Saad bin Zafar came into the Zouks XI and recovered well from being cut for four by Johnson Charles to bowl a good first over.