Who is popular today?

With four-time CPL champs Trinbago Knight Riders smashing their way to their first win of the 2023 season at Warner Park, St Kitts on Sunday night, star batsman Nicholas Pooran is promising to deliver something special to the franchise's loyal fans.
Pooran, who was judged Man of the Match for his brilliant knock of 61 as TKR defeated the 2021 CPL champs, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, attributes his own good form to the hard hours he's been putting in behind the scenes.
The 27-year-old middle-order batsman, who scored just under 400 runs in the inaugural Major League Cricket (MLC) tournament and walked away with the Player of the Series award in the West Indies' five-match T20I series win over India, would love to see his hard work reap some dividends for TKR in this campaign.
"There has been a lot of chat in the dressing room and it's good to see that we actually put the talk into action," said Pooran, during Sunday's post-game presentation. "I have been working hard for the last couple of years and I am in a good space at the moment. I'm playing with a smile on my face and I just want to be as consistent as I can be."
Pooran, who relinquished the West Indies white-ball captaincy in November 2022, oozed freedom and confidence on Sunday as he struck five fours and four sixes in his innings and shared in a steadying 73-run partnership with Irish batsman Lorcan Tucker. Pooran joked that Tucker brought "the luck of the Irish" on his journey to St Kitts, and commended the right-hander for his business-like approach.
"We played with Tucker in the (International League) T20 earlier this year and he's a really exciting player," Pooran said. "I'm really happy that he's gotten the opportunity this year.
"(Tucker) came in and from the first ball he was really positive. It's really nice that he could contribute, and especially in the middle overs, where we have been faltering."
Pooran also heaped praise on the evergreen Dwayne Bravo, who marked his 100th CPL match by claiming figures of two for 43 and taking two smart catches as well.
"(Bravo) is approaching 65, but he's playing like 29," Pooran said jokingly. "He's different from every individual in the world. The numbers have shown that, and the way he teaches youngsters about the game is amazing. He's a legend and he's really special."
The 39-year-old Bravo has returned to the TKR setup after leading the Patriots to their maiden CPL title. Now, with Bravo and Pooran teamed up with players such as Akeal Hosein, Sunil Narine and the swashbuckling pair of Andre Russell and skipper Kieron Pollard, TKR have their sights set on their first CPL title since going unbeaten in the 2020 campaign.
"Regardless of if I'm representing whichever franchise or West Indies cricket, (I want to be consistent)," Pooran said. "It would be really nice if I could put on that red, white and black and represent well for TKR this year. The fans have been supporting us throughout, and this year we want to give our fans something special."
The imposing Pollard, who finished Sunday's game in a hurry with a typically brutal cameo of 37 from just 16 balls, spoke of the heart-to-heart his TKR team had after their crushing 54-run loss to the table-topping St Lucia Kings on Saturday.
"I think we have been preparing pretty well. The guys in the dressing room have been fantastic in the way they are going about it," Pollard said. "Even after that loss (on Saturday), we had some big-man conversations. We looked at each other in the eye and spoke about how we wanted to play the game."
Pollard says being the most successful team in CPL history constantly puts a target on TKR's back. However, the TKR skipper believes his team has the ability to handle such pressure.
"Teams tend to raise their game against us because of the kind of team we are and because we have the type of individuals who have played a lot of cricket all over the world.
"We have brought that upon ourselves, but we have the opportunity now to rise above that and lift our levels as individuals and as a team."
Sherfane Rutherford, who has now assumed the role of Patriots captain after Evin Lewis stepped down from the role on Sunday, will have his work cut out to lift his team's levels. Through six matches, the Patriots are so far winless in this year's CPL and are at the foot of the six-team table with two points. They have lost four matches, and their other two games were washed out.
"I think we have a few experienced guys in the team. For me, playing a lot of T20 cricket, I know things can change very fast," Rutherford said, during his first post-game presentation as skipper. "Nothing is guaranteed. The only thing we can control now is our mind and our thoughts. Each player needs to be positive.
"We have four more games and I think we can turn it around."
It remains to be seen if Rutherford can indeed inspire a Patriots revival after their dismal start. For Pollard, Pooran and TKR, their focus is on getting an undisputed fifth crown.
The post TKR’s Pooran: ‘I’m working hard, playing with a smile’ appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.