PLAYER of the match in the Trinbago Knight Riders’ (TKR) first home match the 2025 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season, Mohammed Amir, expressed his delight in overcoming his former side Antigua and Barbuda Falcons on August 27 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba.
The Pakistani bowler picked up an impressive three wickets for 22 balls in TKR’s eight-wicket win, which proved to be the key to the TT franchise overcoming their Falcons jinx.
Following the victory, Amir told the media, “It feels good (to be among the wickets against Falcons). The aim is to win the game with the team, and my role is to try to take wickets with the new ball and set the tone for the team.”
He then expressed that he enjoys playing alongside Ali Khan and bringing their cricketing experience together to benefit the team. “He (Khan) has been playing with this team for a long time,” Amir said. “He’s a special player with a lot of experience. He’s a good guy, he always tries to learn and I always try to share (my) experience with him.
“When you are playing the first game (at home), nerves are there. But the way he came big in the last two overs, I think it was brilliant.”
Amir added that he and the senior players continuously guide the younger players as they can’t take T20 matches for granted due to its highly competitive nature.
NIXON SLAMS CWI
Falcons coach Paul Nixon credited TKR for their performance against his team. However, he was disappointed with Cricket West Indies (CWI) for not informing him that Justin Greaves was injured prior to the start of the CPL, labelling it as “unprofessional”.
“It’s disappointing how he’s come back from West Indies, to be brutally honest. The communication was poor around that. So, that’s one of our international all-rounders out, which is tough,” Nixon said.
He continued, “The modern-day player has to look after their bodies more than ever. It’s a back-to-back (schedule) and players know that.
That’s why there’s massage (sessions), ice baths, you eat well, you sleep well, and you be a professional.
“(But), I’m very disappointed that we’ve had no communication with CWI and their backroom department (and) for Greaves to come in injured, and just before the game, we found this out. For me, that is a bit unprofessional and disrespectful in a way. But we move forward.”
TKR next take on the Barbados Royals on Friday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy at 8 pm and the Falcons will battle the St Lucia Stars on Sunday at the Beausejour Stadium at 11 am.
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