BR vs SNP, Review | Royals officially eliminated after dramatic one-run loss against Patriots

The Royals started the chase with a cautious approach as well, and it seemed like they were in control after Brandon King started to find his feet with a few beautiful boundaries. However, the good-looking 42-run stand was broken by Waqar Salamkheil, who cleaned up the well-set King on a score of 29 off 22 deliveries, and the hosts ended the first six overs on a score of 44/1. The Royals struggled to score runs after the power play, with Kadeem Alleyne getting out cheaply to Naseem Shah in the 8th over, and De Kock’s sluggish run-a-ball knock was brought to an end in the 9th by Bidaisee. Though there was a bit of a threat caused by Sherfane Rutherford’s knock of 25 off 20 deliveries, it was negated by Bidaisee in the 13th, and put the two-time CPL champions in a spot of bother at 88/4. While it seemed like the Patriots were in control of the game, Rassie van der Dussen started to find his feet after being watchful in his first six balls, and the Royals' skipper, Rovman Powell, also got a few shots away. Though Powell was eventually dismissed in the last 16th over by Salamkhiel, the mini partnership still got them in a winnable position with the score reading 116/5, needing 35 off the last 24 balls. However, the tides changed once again in the next couple of overs, with Naseem conceding only four runs in the 17th and Holder following it up with a wicket of Green and conceding only five runs in the next over. While it seemed like the Patriots were getting back into the game, van der Dussen managed to get 12 runs off the 18th over and brought the equation down to 14 off the last six deliveries. It seemed like it was Barbados’s game as van der Dussen struck the first ball of Holder for a huge six over long on, and calmly rotated the strike in the next three deliveries with the Royals needing just three runs of the last two deliveries. Unfortunately, the efforts of the South African batter went in vain as the ST Kitts skipper got him off strike on the fifth delivery and nailed the yorker on the last ball to dismiss Sams to ensure a dramatic one-run win and keep their playoff chances alive in the tournament, while the Royals' hopes of a top four finish were thwarted with this heartbreaking loss.

The player of the match was rightfully awarded to Jason Holder, who scored an unbeaten half-century in the first innings and bowled a crucial spell of 2/32 in his full quota of four overs.