The playoff dreams of the Jamaica Titans in the inaugural West Indies Breakout T20 League are on life support after a heartbreaking three-run defeat to the Barbados Pelicans at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad. The defeat leaves the Titans in a precarious position, needing a miracle to advance to the post-season with just one match remaining.
Chasing a target of 156 runs, the Titans’ chase came down to the final ball, needing four runs to secure victory. However, the tension reached a climax when Jeavor Royal, who had been one of the last hopes for the Titans, was caught on the boundary for 15 while attempting the winning shot. With that, the Titans fell agonizingly short, finishing their innings at 152 for 7, handing the Pelicans a narrow but significant win.
The Titans showed promise in the chase, with Jordan Johnson top-scoring with 34 runs, followed by Leroy Lugg’s 27. Wicketkeeper-batsman Deethmar Anderson added a valuable 21 not out, but despite these efforts, the Titans could not quite get over the line.
Earlier in the day, the Pelicans were put in to bat and set a competitive total of 155 for 7. Shaquere Parris played a crucial role in the Pelicans’ innings, contributing 41 runs, while opener Kadeem Alleyne’s 38 added stability at the top of the order. Joshua Bishop provided an explosive finish, remaining unbeaten on 25 from just 11 balls, which included 2 fours and 2 sixes.
The Titans’ bowlers fought hard to keep the Pelicans in check, with Andrew Rambaran leading the charge, taking 2 wickets for 26 runs. Jeavor Royal and Michael Clarke both picked up 2 wickets as well, with figures of 2 for 15 and 2 for 23 respectively.
With the result, the Jamaica Titans remain in second-to-last place on the table, with just one match remaining in the round-robin phase. They will face the Windward Islands Infernos in a must-win encounter on Tuesday, hoping to secure a victory and keep their faint hopes of a playoff spot alive.
The top team at the end of the group stage will automatically qualify for the final, while the second and third-place finishers will meet in a playoff to determine who joins them.
