Falcons Opener Fakhar Zaman Heads Home for Champions One-Day Cup Participation
Sherfane Rutherford’s unavailability has added even more troubles for the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in CPL 2024. During their most recent home game against the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, the CPL announced that Rutherford had left the tournament for personal reasons and would not return. A replacement for Rutherford will be named soon.
Rutherford, who is 26 years old, had played only four games for the Patriots this season. In these matches, he scored 35 runs with an impressive strike rate of 194.44, though he wasn’t able to contribute more due to limited opportunities. In Rutherford’s absence, the Patriots had to adjust their lineup, with Dominic Drakes—known more for his bowling—being promoted to bat at number 7 against the Falcons on Sunday. This change highlighted how much the team was struggling to find balance, especially with injuries and unavailable players.
At the moment, the Patriots are at the very bottom of the CPL 2024 points table. They have managed to win just one game out of their six matches. This poor performance has created a tough situation for the team, which won the CPL title at home in 2021. Unfortunately, since that victory, the Patriots have faced a string of defeats, losing 11 completed games in a row at Basseterre, their home ground.
Despite the challenges, Sri Lankan leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga performed well in the recent game, taking four wickets. However, even his efforts couldn’t help the Patriots defend their score of 153 on a slow and tricky pitch. The team fell short, continuing their difficult run in the tournament.
After the game, Patriots’ captain Andre Fletcher spoke to the fans. “We are thankful, but we disappointed the fans,” Fletcher said. “It’s tough, and as the leader of the team, I want to say sorry for not giving them a win on home soil. But we haven’t lost hope yet. We still have four more games left, and we’ll keep playing hard, trying to win them.”
More bad news came when allrounder Kyle Mayers had to leave the field after bowling just two overs. It appears he may have injured his hamstring, though official confirmation is yet to come. His potential absence could further weaken the Patriots. On a brighter note, South African batter Rilee Rossouw returned to the team after recovering from a calf injury, giving the batting order a much-needed boost.
Before the season began, the Patriots had already been hit by injuries and player unavailability. Zimbabwe allrounder Sikandar Raza was ruled out due to injury, and Hasaranga and Tabraiz Shamsi were also unavailable at different points. These issues have left the Patriots struggling to find the right combination to compete.
Fakhar returns home for Champions Cup
In another part of the CPL, Pakistan’s opener Fakhar Zaman has returned to his home country to participate in the Champions One-Day Cup, a new 50-over domestic tournament that runs from September 12 to 29. This schedule clashes with the CPL, so Fakhar had to leave early. He is set to join the Wolves team, which will be led by Mohammad Rizwan, and will arrive in Pakistan on September 10.
Fakhar had been the top scorer for the Falcons in CPL 2024, with 159 runs in five innings at an average of 31.80 and a strike rate of 133.61. His performance had been key for the Falcons, but they will now have to manage without him. Interestingly, Fakhar’s Falcons teammates, Imad Wasim and Mohammad Amir, have chosen to stay with the CPL rather than participate in the Champions Cup. Azam Khan, the wicketkeeper-batter for the Guyana Amazon Warriors, has also decided to stay in the CPL.
In Fakhar’s absence, the Falcons brought in Brandon King, who made his debut for the team and opened the batting. King had been recovering from an injury he picked up during the 2024 T20 World Cup back in June. In his first match for the Falcons, King made 29 runs off just 16 balls, helping his team chase down a target of 154 successfully.
Both the Patriots and the Falcons are going through changes in their squads, and with several matches still left to play, it will be interesting to see how they adjust and perform in the remaining games.
