Kingsmen ready to defy odds

Jamaica Kingsmen captain Rovman Powell has issued a rallying cry to his squad on the eve of their crucial Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Eliminator against the Barbados Tridents, declaring that his team is ready to defy the odds and keep its season alive.

The teams will meet today at the iconic Kensington Oval, with the first ball scheduled for 6 p.m. Jamaica time.

The stakes could not be higher, with the winner advancing and the loser’s campaign coming to an abrupt end.

The Kingsmen enter the contest under pressure after finishing the group stage with eight points from four wins and six losses. In contrast, the Tridents found form at the right time, ending third with six wins and four losses and carrying the momentum of back-to-back victories, including a narrow two-wicket win over the Kingsmen in their most recent meeting.

Speaking to the media ahead of the knockout clash, Powell offered a candid assessment of his team’s journey to the playoffs.

“I think it’s been an up-and-down season, to be honest,” Powell said. “We started off with three massive defeats. But having said that, we found two wins at home. Cricket hasn’t been played in Sabina Park for a long time, so it was good to see our fans come out and support us. We have also had some very close games that, unfortunately, came to a disappointing end. But I think the guys are deserving to be in the playoffs.”

Despite the disappointment of letting winnable matches slip away, Powell emphasised that the team’s primary objective has been achieved.

“When we set out, we set out to get into the playoffs as our first aim. We have achieved our first hurdle, which is to get to the playoffs. It’s now for us to push deeper in the competition, and I think the guys are ready.”

The task ahead is a daunting one. The Kingsmen have yet to defeat any of the remaining teams in the competition this season, a statistic that Powell is acutely aware of.

The Tridents, in particular, have had the better of the Kingsmen, winning both encounters between the teams.

“It’s a team that has beaten us two times this season.

“Unfortunately for us, all the teams that are left in the competition are teams we haven’t beaten all season. So as a team, we have to go places where we haven’t been all season. So it’s an opportunity for us to rise against all those odds that are standing in our way.”

Entering the playoffs on the back of a defeat, after a valiant effort in a close loss to the Tridents, is less than ideal, Powell acknowledged.

“Yeah, obviously it’s disappointing. It’s massively disappointing. You need some momentum. You need that good winning spirit to go into a playoff like this and especially when you’re playing the same team,” he admitted.

“But having said that, I think it’s a valiant effort. When I said that we have messed up a few games that we should have won, potentially, that is one of them.”

However, the captain believes that his side can correct course and make its debut season a memorable one.

“Now is the business end of the competition. Now is where CPL is won,” he stated.

“We had a beautiful training session yesterday, where we outlined the plans for the upcoming games. So hopefully, those plans will do us well.”