Barbados Royals vs Trinbago Knight Riders, L T20 2023, Today Match Prediction 31 August 2023

BR vs TKR Match Prediction & Analysis

Barbados Royals will be up against Trinbago Knight Riders in their first match at Barbados this season. Following a batting-friendly venue in St Kitts, L now moves to the Kensington Oval in Barbados which offers a more balanced pitch.

Barbados Royals have been expensive with the ball in their last two outings and that is one area they would like to improve. Qais Ahmed has been consistent with wickets so far and is the key bowler in this side.

Kieron Pollard will be a happy skipper after his side bounced back in the last game with all the key players coming to the party. He and Russell finished the run-chase with fine knocks while Nicholas Pooran set them up with a fifty at number 3.

The pitch here would be slightly more challenging than the one at Warner Park. It promises to be a close contest between the two sides. Royals could also find their bowling rhythm and be more competitive. 

RECENT PERFORMANCE

BR

W L

SNP

197/6 in 20.0 9.85

L T20 2023

Barbados Royals won by 6 wkts 27 Aug 2023

BR

200/4 in 18.3 10.81

SLK

201/6 in 20.0 10.05

L T20 2023

18 Aug 2023

BR

147/10 in 20.0 7.35

TKR

W L

SNP

178/5 in 20.0 8.9

L T20 2023

28 Aug 2023

TKR

180/4 in 17.1 10.49

SLK

167/5 in 20.0 8.35

L T20 2023

Saint Lucia Kings won by 54 runs 26 Aug 2023

TKR

113/10 in 14.4 7.7

HEAD TO HEAD

TEAMS PREVIEW

Barbados Royals Preview

After a poor start to the season where they were bowled out for 147 runs while chasing 201, Barbados Royals bounced back in their recent match against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.

The bowlers were still expensive while playing after a long gap since their first outing. However, Qais Ahmad improved his economy while continuing to deliver breakthroughs.

The likes of Nyeem Young and Obed McCoy continue to struggle and that is a concern for Barbados going into this match. Since the pitch here is a balanced one and the bowlers can expect some help off the surface, we reckon Jason Holder and Nyeem Young could make a comeback.

Opener Rahkeem Cornwall looked in fine touch at the top and will be a key batsman to watch for in this lineup. Royals have two big-hitting players as openers and if Kyle Mayers also gets going, the stage will be set for a big finish.

In a surprising move, Jason Holder was promoted to number 3 in the last game. The finisher for Royals is their skipper Rovman Powell at number 5 who played a fine knock of 67 off 29 balls to take his team home in their recent win.

The Royals need to improve their bowling if they are to challenge the Knight Riders in this game. Powell would know his side is up against a mighty batting lineup.

Barbados Royals Predicted Playing XI:

Rahkeem Cornwall, Kyle Mayers, Alick Athanaze, Justin Greaves, Kevin Wickham (wk), Rovman Powell (c), Jason Holder, Roelof van der Merwe, Nyeem Young, Qais Ahmad, Obed McCoy

Barbados Royals Actual Playing XI:

Nyeem Young, Jason Holder, Kevin Omar Wickham, Obed McCoy, Rovman Powell, Rahkeem Cornwall, Alick Athanaze, Laurie Evans, Kyle Mayers, RE Van Der Merwe, Qais Ahmad

Trinbago Knight Riders Preview

Trinbago Knight Riders are one of the strongest squads in L 2023. There are many experienced T20 players with vast experience and also some young and proven talent.

The recent win should give them confidence going into this season following last year’s debacle. The biggest positives from their recent win are the performances from Pollard and Russell. These two would be assets in any middle order. 

And for these two to find their form and play the way they did is big news for TKR. Nicholas Pooran was already in good touch before the L kicked off and his recent knock has given the Knight Riders more confidence.

Martin Guptill continues to struggle at the top and TKR replaced his opening partner with Chadwick Walton and he too failed. However, bringing in Lorcan Tucker at number 4 has worked out well.

And the Irish batsman can be a crucial figure in the middle order along with Nicholas Pooran. TKR are still sticking with Dwayne Bravo and he’s delivered a few wickets but has been quite expensive.

Sunil Narine, Akeal Hossein, and Andre Russell are the key players in the bowling department for the Knight Riders. The likes of Jayden Seales and Ali Khan haven’t looked very promising so far.

Trinbago Knight Riders Predicted Playing XI:

Martin Guptill, Lorcan Tucker (wk), Chadwick Walton, Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard (c), Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine, Akeal Hosein, Ali Khan, Jayden Seales

Trinbago Knight Riders Actual Playing XI:

Dwayne Bravo, Martin Guptill, Akeal Hosein, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Mark Deyal, Waqar Salamkheil, Lorcan Tucker, Tom Curran

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

The pitch is balanced with something on offer for both batters and bowlers. However, the pitch is on a slower side and the spinners can play a crucial role on this surface. There will be scattered showers in Bridgetown with a high of 31 degrees Celsius on the match day.

BR vs TKR Pitch Report

Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados will be the venue for the next few L matches before it moves to Trinidad. The average 1st innings score here is 149 runs and only 7 times a team has crossed the 170-run mark. We reckon something over 160 runs would be quite competitive on this pitch.

Toss: To Bat

Teams batting first have won 16 of the 27 T20 matches played at this venue. Considering the pitch conditions at this venue, chasing may not be a good idea here. And with the current batting form, both teams should be looking to put up a decent 1st innings total.