‘It’s about controlling those emotions’ in high-stakes CPL 2025 final

With two old rivals set to meet again, in the CPL final on Sunday at Providence, emotions have been running high among the players and supporters of Guyana Amazon Warriors and Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR).

Managing those emotions in the face of pressure will be key to winning the title, according to coaches Lance Klusener and Ottis Gibson.

Gibson, TKR’s assistant coach, said that their team has been banking on the experience of senior players like Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine, who have enjoyed success in T20 cricket around the world.

“Emotions – that’s the beauty of sport, isn’t it? I guess the team that handles those emotions the best will most likely come out on top,” Gibson said on the eve of the final. “This is the CPL final – it’s a big day in the Caribbean. [These are] two of the best teams over a number of years now in the final. Guyana will have home advantage and a lot of crowd support behind them.

“But we, as Trinbago, will also carry a lot of travelling support. We’ve got a lot of experienced players that have won big finals before – IPL, World Cups – and we’ve been leaning on that experience throughout the tournament. And we will be doing that tomorrow night as well.”

Klusener, who is in charge of Amazon Warriors, concurred with Gibson. “It’s just [about] controlling those emotions and trying to make sure they don’t get in the way of making cricketing decisions on the move,” Klusener said. “Not really much more to add to that [from Gibson].”

Trinidad has been the spiritual home of T20 cricket that keeps churning out superstars. While Pollard’s playing career is on its last legs – he has already forayed into coaching in the IPL – Pooran has emerged as the new face of the region.

Pooran has evolved into a six-hitting machine, but he is yet to win the CPL despite playing 12 seasons of the tournament. The desire to win his home league has given Pooran extra motivation, Gibson said.

It has also been five years since TKR last won the CPL title. In 2020, Pollard had overseen their unbeaten run, but their form has cooled off since then.

“Look, Trinidad, for a number of years, saw itself as the gold standard for T20 cricket in the Caribbean,” Gibson said. “The number of world-class players that they’ve produced… [but] we haven’t won it [CPL title] since 2020. And that’s the main motivator really; we haven’t won it for so long. So the opportunity to do that is a massive driver for everybody. So, Andre especially; Nicholas Pooran has never won the CPL. So there’s a lot of reasons why everybody is really motivated for tomorrow night. We can’t wait to get started.”

Amid the Caribbean stalwarts, a rookie from Guyana will be in action on Sunday. Quentin Sampson, 25, has made the step up from tape-ball cricket to the CPL this season, whacking sixes as a pinch-hitting opener.

His back-to-back fifties against St Lucia Kings and Barbados Royals smoothened Amazon Warriors’ path to the final. The onus is now on him to harness his potential, and raise his game to the next level.

“Sampson has taken his opportunity,” Klusener said. “Sport is about taking those little opportunities that come along. So he’s responded to that, and I’m thoroughly happy for him. The ball is in his court now as to where he goes with that talent and with those performances he’s shown.

“This competition will finish, and he will go back to his country, and it’s up to him to make those changes that he needs to make and grow. As coaches you can only do so much; a lot of it comes from the person inside. So watch this space and let’s see how he goes.” (ESPNcricinfo)