Aaliyah Alleyne, Hayley Matthews and Chamari Athapaththu sizzle as Barbados Royals win second Women’s Caribbean Premier League title

Barbados Royals won their second Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) title after beating Trinbago Knight Riders by four wickets in a low-scoring final at Tarouba.

Fast bowling all-rounder Aaliyah Alleyne (4/21), Hayley Matthews (2/13) and Chamari Athapaththu (39*) were the architects of Barbados Royals’ second WCPL title in as many seasons.

The defending champions, Royals, restricted Trinbago Knight Riders to 93/8 and overhauled the target in 15 overs, losing six wickets.

Royals finished runners-up in the inaugural WCPL in 2022 and made a mark in the WCPL as one of the most consistent teams.

Knight Riders were asked to bat first and Deandra Dottin’s six of Chinelle Henry in the first over was the only bright spot. Matthews sent Dottin back into the hut in the second over to start the slide.

Henry sent Jemimah Rodrigues soon after for just two runs as Jannillea Glasgow and Shikha Pandey tried to steady the ship with a 43-run partnership.

Alleyne then changed the course of the game in the 12th over when she sent Glasgow back off the very first ball she bowled. Glasgow miscued one to mid-off and soon Alleyne was in the thick of things when she bowled Shikha soon after.

Alleyne then sent down a double-wicket over, the 16th of Knight Riders’ innings, and that meant Knight Riders could only manage a below-par total.

Royals needed 94 to win their second WCPL title and Athapaththu came out all guns blazing. The Sri Lankan batter scored three consecutive boundaries off Jess Jonassen and then scored another three off Shamilia Connell to set the tone for the chase.

Samara Ramnath sent Matthews and Qiana Joseph back but Athapaththu made sure there was no heartbreak for Barbados Royals.

Matthews was adjudged the player of the tournament after the West Indies player took 11 wickets, the most in the 2024 edition, and scored the second-most runs.