Borde: TKR focused ahead of Tallawahs clash

TKR will face Jamaica Tallawahs at 8 pm tonight TT time at Sabina Park in Jamaica.

TKR have already booked a place in the knock-out phase with two matches left, and are almost guaranteed a top two finish after the preliminary stage.

It is beneficial to finish in the top two, as the top two teams have two chances of qualifying for the final on September 9.

TKR lead the standings with 14 points after earning seven wins and one loss. Despite a stellar run of form, Borde said there is no time to relax.

“The tournament has a long way to go in it. We are not even close to (achieving) anything yet. We are still focused and taking each game at a time,” Borde said.

Borde said the team would not experiment much with the line up, although the Knight Riders have already booked a place in the next round “We have a squad that all players are ready.

We expect that we will play like we have played the last couple games with intent to win the match.

There is no plan to experiment.

The team is focused on what we have to do and our job here is to win matches.” Brendon McCullum (40 not out) and Darren Bravo (38 not out) were the top TKR batsmen in the last game, leading the team to an eight-wicket win over second placed St Kitts and Nevis Patriots on Wednesday.

Borde said a number of players are stepping up for TKR which has led to the team’s success.

“It is a game that batsmen will take risks, so you are not going to expect that each game a player will fire.

That is why it is important for us from a team perspective that various players step up.” Pakistani Shadab Khan, who has been an instrumental player for TKR, will rejoin the team in Barbados when they face the Barbados Tridents on September 2. Khan played the first six matches for TKR before he and the other Pakistani players were called by the Pakistan Cricket Board to complete fitness and medical tests ahead of national and domestic commitments.