Barbados Tridents produced a strong all-round performance against St Lucia Kings in Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2026, securing a nine-run victory in a rain-shortened contest in Gros Islet. While Sherfane Rutherford provided the late fireworks with the bat, Gudakesh Motie played a crucial role with the ball.
The left-arm spinner claimed three wickets during his spell, including the important dismissal of St Lucia Kings captain Roston Chase. Chase had kept the chase moving with an aggressive 34 off 21 balls, but Motie found a way through his defences to give Barbados Tridents a crucial breakthrough.
Gudakesh Motie rattles Roston Chase’s stumps
The big moment came on the final ball of Motie’s sixth over in the second innings. Chase was looking to attack the spinner and attempted to hoick the ball towards the mid-wicket region. Motie, however, cleverly pulled his length back and pushed the delivery through quicker. The ball skidded onto the right-hander, leaving Chase with very little time to adjust to the change of pace.
Chase swung across the line but completely missed the delivery. The ball went through his defence and crashed into the leg stump, ending an important innings for the St Lucia Kings captain. Chase departed for 34 off 21 deliveries, having struck four boundaries and two sixes. Motie, meanwhile, enjoyed the breakthrough after having seen Chase survive a chance earlier in the over.
Here’s the video:
Motie Magic at DSCG! 🪄
Gudakesh Motie dismisses Chase! 🇱🇨 x 🇧🇧#CPL26 #SLKvBT #CricketPlayedLouder #BiggestPartyInSport #Carib pic.twitter.com/LetvmqfE2Y
— CPL T20 (@CPL) August 17, 2026
Sherfane Rutherford powers Barbados Tridents to 177
Barbados Tridents were asked to bat first in the rain-shortened contest and posted 177/5 from their 18 overs. After losing Zachary Carter early, Quinton de Kock and Brandon King launched an aggressive counterattack. De Kock was particularly severe on the St Lucia Kings bowlers, while King also found the boundary regularly as the Tridents accelerated through the middle overs. De Kock eventually fell for a rapid 38 off just 15 balls, while King contributed 39 before Chase dismissed him.
With the scoring rate beginning to dip, Rutherford provided the late impetus Barbados needed. The left-hander attacked the bowling during the closing stages and smashed four sixes in the final four overs. Rutherford brought up his half-century from just 27 balls, his second consecutive fifty, and finished with 61 to help the Tridents reach a formidable 177/5 from their allotted 18 overs.
Motie and Mujeeb restrict St Lucia Kings
Chasing 178, St Lucia Kings were given hope by Ackeem Auguste, who played an aggressive innings in front of his home crowd. After the early wickets put the Kings under pressure, Auguste took the attack to the Barbados bowlers. He smashed 19 runs from Chris Green’s final over before taking three sixes from a Raom Simmonds over. Auguste reached his fifty from 28 balls and brought the required rate down significantly. However, Barbados Tridents regained control through their spinners. Mujeeb Ur Rahman removed Charith Asalanka, while Motie soon struck again to dismiss Auguste and later Chase.
Motie finished with impressive figures of 3/22, while Mujeeb claimed 2/27 as the Tridents continued picking up wickets at regular intervals. With 50 runs still required from the final 24 balls, St Lucia Kings were unable to produce another significant partnership. A few late boundaries reduced the deficit, but the Kings eventually finished on 168/6 from their 18 overs. Barbados Tridents therefore secured a nine-run victory and moved to the top of the CPL 2026 points table.
