Jamaica Tallawahs will square off against the defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders in CPL 2016 Playoff 3 at the Warner Park Stadium in Basseterre, St Lucia, on Friday. Whoever wins this match will face Guyana Amazon Warriors in the final of CPL 2016 on Sunday.
Chris Gayle-led Tallawahs have lost three matches in a row and here they are in the third playoff of CPL 2016, which will decide the second finalist of the tournament.
Meanwhile, Knight Riders defeated an in-form St. Lucia Zouks in the eliminator comprehensively on Thursday at the same venue. Brendon McCullum stepped up to the occasion when it mattered the most. The former New Zealand captain played a match-winning and sensible knock against the Zouks to give his side another chance to qualify for the final.
Knight Riders, however, are one of the strongest sides in CPL 2016 and if they play up to their potential, they can easily go past the Tallawahs on Friday.
Dwayne Bravo and co. are unlikely to make any changes to their team ahead of this crucial encounter against the Tallawahs.
On the other hand, the Tallawahs have plenty of things to worry about. Their bowlers have not been in great shape neither their star batsmen like their skipper Chris Gayle, Kumar Sangakkara and Shakib Al Hasan. These big guns will have to fire for the Tallawahs as it is now or never, if at all they want to make it to the CPL 2016 final.
It is likely to be an evenly-matched contest, but Knight Riders will have the slightest of edge over the Tallawahs in the third playoff match of CPL 2016.
Expected playing XI:
Jamaica Tallawahs: Chris Gayle (C), Chadwick Walton, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Rovman Powell, Shakib Al Hasan, Andre Russell, Imad Wasim, Timroy Allen, Kesrick Williams, Garey Mathurin, Jon-Russ Jaggesar.
Trinbago Knight Riders: Hashim Amla, Brendon McCullum, Colin Munro, Umar Akmal, Dwayne Bravo (C), Denesh Ramdin (wk), Anton Devcich, Kevon Cooper, Sunil Narine, Nikita Miller, Ronsford Beaton.
Where to watch on TV and live cricket streaming:
The Playoff 3 of CPL 2016 between Jamaica Tallawahs and Trinbago Knight Riders is scheduled to start from 8 p.m. local time (5:30 a.m. IST, 1:00 a.m. BST) start. Below are the live streaming and TV options (Note: IST am timings are next day):
India: Sony Six and Sony Six HD. Live Streaming: SonyLiv.
UK: BT Sport. Live Streaming: BT Sport Live Streaming.
USA: ESPN 3. Live Streaming: Watch Espn.
Australia: Fox Sports. Live Streaming: Foxtel Play.
New Zealand: Sommet Sports
Barbados: Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation
Trinidad: Caribbean Communications Network, TV 6, CNC 3
Nevis: Caribbean Cable Networks
Guyana: National Communications Network, TVG
St Kitts: ZIZ Broadcasting Corp
St Lucia: Helen Television System, St Lucia Cable Vision
Jamaica: TVJ
