Barbados Royals Wins WCPL 2024, Becomes First Team To Defend Title

Barbados Royals successfully defended their Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) crown as they registered their second consecutive title win with the WCPL 2024 victory. 

In a low scoring match, Barbados Royals beat Trinbago Knight Riders by four wickets. Royals restricted Knight Riders to 93/ 8 before chasing down the target with five overs to spare in Tarouba, Trinidad and Tobago. 

Barbados Royals Defends WCPL 2024 Crown

The Royals won the toss and opted to bowl first and they got off to a good start with the early dismissals of Deandra Dottin and Jemimah in the first three overs with just 10 runs on the board. Shikha and Jannillea Glasgow then tried to build up the innings for Knight Riders with a 43-run stand but their batting order soon collapsed. 

Thanks to a four-wicket haul from fast-bowling allrounder Aaliyah Alleyne for 21 runs, Knight Riders were bundled out for 93 in 20 overs. Only three of their batters could achieve the double-digit figures as their innings saw only six fours and two sixes.

Alleyne’s double-wicket in the 16th over, where she removed Chedean Nation and Zaida James within four balls, brought the Knight Riders to a screeching halt. Three of her four wickets broke the batters’ stumps, and she achieved that by constantly keeping the stumps in play.

Also Read: Caribbean Premier League 2024: Squads, Schedule, Match Timings

In reply, Chamari Athapaththu and Hayley Matthews gave a steady start for the Royals as they posted 48 runs on the board in just 6.1 overs. The Royals hit 12 fours and a six during their innings as they crossed the finish-line in just 15 overs to become the first team to secure their second consecutive WCPL title. 

Offspinner Samara Ramnath, Knight Riders’ leading wicket-taker in WCPL 2024, dismissed Matthews – caught by Dottin at backward point. A few overs later, Connell pulled off a catch at long-on to get rid of Qiana Joseph for Ramnath’s second wicket. She also took a catch to dismiss Alleyne at long-on, though.

Despite losing three wickets for two runs in the middle, Athapaththu remained composed to seal Royals’ win in the 15th over. 

Barbados Royals captain Hayley Matthews won the player of the tournament award for scoring 147 runs and taking 11 wickets in the tournament.