Kieron Pollard's (51) fiery fifty and Ali Khan's (3/19) fine bowling took Trinbago Knight Riders to the semifinals of the Caribbean Premier League as they registered a four-wicket win over hosts St Kitts & Nevis Patriots.
TKR finished at the top in the league stages and will face Saint Lucia Kings in the first semifinal on Tuesday, while the Patriots finished third and will play Guyana Amazon Warriors in the second semifinal. The Patriots got off to a steady start thanks to Joshua Da Silva who had been pushed up to open in the absence of the injured Devon Thomas.
The young wicket-keeper batsman kept things steady after Chris Gayle was dismissed for 5 when he edged a ball from Ravi Rampaul through to Denesh Ramdin.
Da Silva went on to top score, making 50 from 45 balls, but there was no substantial partnership in the Patriots innings.
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Sherfane Rutherford and Dwayne Bravo both made 25, but just as it looked as if they would launch in the death overs were dismissed amid a 10 ball period that saw the Patriots lose four wickets.
Rather than exploding over the line, the Patriots limped to 147 for 7 with Khan the star for the Knight Riders claiming 3/19 on his return to the starting line-up.
The Knight Riders chase got off to a sedate start as they reached 34 for 1 at the end of the power play. The only wicket to fall in the first six overs was that of Lendl Simmons, who was dismissed by a brilliant Fabian Allen catch at backward point off the bowling of Naseem Shah.
Two wickets in three balls pinned back the Knight Riders innings with Ramdin and Colin Munro both dismissed. Things changed when Pollard came to the crease as he made his way to his fifty from just 20 balls.
Pollard was dismissed just two balls after passing his fifty, but the Knight Riders lower order saw them to victory.
