He played a crucial role in ending the franchise's 11-year wait for a first CPL title.
The Saint Lucia Kings (SLK) managed to win their maiden Caribbean Premier League (CPL 2024) title when they outclassed the Guyana Amazon Warriors a couple of nights ago.
Notably, the Punjab Kings’ sister franchise, which has a Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) personnel at the helm, played a crucial role in ending the franchise’s 11-year wait for a first CPL title.
Daren Sammy, who had previously plied his trade for RCB and is the current coach of SLK, made a surprising decision to tinker with the team’s winning combination from Qualifier 1 and played USA cricketer Aaron Jones in the summit clash. Notably, Jones had previously batted in only two games with a highest score of 8 not out.
The decision appeared to backfire as Jones struggled, scoring only 10 runs from 19 balls, while the required run rate climbed beyond 13. Meanwhile, Roston Chase, batting at the other end, was batting with a viral infection. With the experienced David Wiese and the capable ball-striker Matthew Forde waiting in the dugout, the Kings’ management considered the option of retiring Jones out.
At 73 for 4 after 15 overs, chasing 139 on a tricky Providence pitch, the team sent a message to Jones.
‘Have a crack because at the end of this over, [we are] gonna send David Wiese in,’ which skipper Faf du Plessis revealed after their victory.
That directive freed Jones up.
He smashed Moeen Ali for a huge six over wide long-on, setting the tone for a 27-run 16th over. In the following over, Jones added two more sixes, celebrating each with enthusiasm. Together, Jones and Chase ultimately sealed the win in style.
For more updates, follow Cricxtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram and YouTube.
