Nicholas Pooran takes over from Pollard as Trinbago Knight Riders captain for CPL 2025

Nicholas Pooran has replaced veteran all-rounder Kieron Pollard as captain of the Trinbago Knight Riders ahead of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025, the franchise announced on Thursday.

Pollard’s leadership era began in 2019 when he succeeded Dwayne Bravo. Under his captaincy, the Knight Riders lifted their fourth CPL title in 2020, going unbeaten in all 12 matches that season. He also guided the team to two more playoff appearances, including last year’s edition, where they fell to the Barbados Royals in the Eliminator.

Pooran, who retired from international cricket in June this year, has been one of the league’s most in-demand players. He first played for the Knight Riders in the CPL’s inaugural season before moving to the Barbados Royals and Guyana Amazon Warriors. He returned to the Trinbago squad in 2022.

Reacting to his appointment, Pooran described it as a “privilege” to lead the team and expressed pride in following the footsteps of Dwayne Bravo and Pollard.

"It means a lot, first and foremost, to represent Trinbago Knight Riders. It is a privilege that I'm getting the opportunity to lead this franchise," Pooran said.

"I want to give it my best shot, and hopefully make as many correct decisions as I can. It's a responsibility that has been passed on from Bravo to Pollard, and now to me," he added. 

"For me, the most satisfying thing is that Pollard is still playing; Sunil [Narine] and Andre [Russell] are here too. That's a lot of experience I can bank on. To lead them on the field - it means a lot to me," he further added. 

Pooran boasts an impressive CPL record, having scored 2,447 runs in 114 matches at a blistering strike rate of 152.27, including three centuries and 13 fifties.

The Pooran-led Knight Riders will open their CPL 2025 campaign against the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots on Sunday.