T20 cricket always gives fans many surprises. In a span of 40 overs, fans get to see a whole package of action, excitement, and tension. And a new season of the Caribbean Premier League is about to start, so the T20 craze is in its full mode. Well, the CPL has never disappointed and has always entertained the cricket lovers.
And in the upcoming season, we can expect more thrilling contests for cricket lovers. In this article, we will cover those instances when a team wins the match by the smallest margin. Notably, there are three wins in the CPL with just one run. So let’s check.
3. St. Kitts & Nevis (1 run) against Barbados Tridents in 2019
There are three instances when a team won the game by just one run. The latest came in the 2019 season in a match between St. Kitts & Nevis and Barbados Tridents. St. Kitts won the toss and decided to bat first. They didn’t have a great start, but a few good contributions in the middle helped them to reach a total of 149/7 in their 20 overs. Shamarh Brooks made 53 off 33 balls with six fours and two sixes.
It was a below-par total on the pitch. Barbados started cautiously, chasing the target. At one point, they were at 85/2 in 11 overs. But then, they lost five quick wickets for just 14 runs and were reduced to 99/7. They needed five runs off the last five balls but could only score two runs and lose two wickets. Thus, St. Kitts registered a one-run victory. Dominic Drakes bowled a superb last over to clinch the victory.
2. St. Kitts & Nevis (1 run) against Barbados Tridents in 2015
St. Kitts & Nevis and Barbados Tridents have had two occasions when the match was won by one run. And it was St. Kitts who clinched this thrilling victory on both occasions. The first 1-run win came in the 2015 season at Bridgetown. After winning the toss, Barbados chose to bowl first. St. Kitts didn’t get the start, they were looking. No batters touched the 30-run mark, and Orlando Peters was the high scorer with 27 runs.
Thus, St. Kitts scored 143/8 in their 20 overs and the target was 144, which looked very easy to chase. Barbados also had a bad start, losing three wickets for just 14 runs. But skipper Kieron Pollard was solid at the crease. They needed 19 runs off the last over, and Pollard hit one six and two fours off the first five balls. However, needing three runs to win off the last ball, Pollard missed the ball and tried to take two runs to tie the match. But he could only complete one run and got run out. Thus, St. Kitts won that match by just one run.
1. Trinbago Knight Riders (1 run) against Antigua Hawksbills in 2013 CPL season
The first ever 1-run win came in the inaugural season in 2013. It was the match between Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel (now Trinbago Knight Riders) and Antigua Hawksbills at Port of Spain. Trindad won the toss and batted first. They lost the first wicket in the second over, but after that, they had good contributions from other batsmen. Trindad made 169/6 in their 20 overs. Skipper Dwayne Bravo made 46 off 25 balls, including two fours and four maximums.
However, the rain interrupted the play and stopped the game. And when the rain was gone, Antigua was given a revised target of 134 in 15 overs. They got off to a good start as Johnson Charles (46 off 28) batted well. But after that, they totally lost the plot. Antigua needed 19 runs off the last over and Sheldon Cottrel was bowling. Despite scoring nine runs off the first two balls, they could only score eight runs off the last four. As a result, they felt they were only one run short of the target, and Trinidad became the first CPL team to win by one run.
List of the Smallest Win Margins in CPL
| Winner | Win Margin | Target | Against | Ground | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Steel | 1 run | 134 | Hawksbills | Port of Spain | 11 Aug 2013 |
| Patriots | 1 run | 144 | Tridents | Bridgetown | 27 Jun 2015 |
| Patriots | 1 run | 150 | Tridents | Bridgetown | 28 Sep 2019 |
| St Lucia Kings | 1 run | 148 | TKR | Port of Spain | 18 Sep 2022 |
| Zouks | 2 runs | 157 | Amazon | Gros Islet | 26 Jun 2015 |
| Tallawahs | 2 runs | 129 | Amazon | Providence | 17 Aug 2017 |
| Tridents | 2 runs | 157 | Tallawahs | Lauderhill | 22 Aug 2018 |
| Red Steel | 3 runs | 160 | Amazon | Port of Spain | 9 Aug 2013 |
| Amazon | 3 runs | 142 | Stars | Providence | 11 Aug 2018 |
| Zouks | 3 runs | 93 | Tridents | Port of Spain | 30 Aug 2020 |
| Tallawahs | 4 runs | 149 | Amazon | Providence | 20 Jul 2014 |