They have Barbados Tridents and St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots for company who also have one win apiece, while St. Lucia Stars are yet to break their losing streak which is now 14 matches long starting from the 2016 edition.

Individual brilliance often defines the result of a T20 match and seven matches into this year’s CPL, we’ve already had a number of such instances.

Let’s take a look at the best performances of the first week of CPL 2018:

Hetmyer enjoyed a slice of luck as Patriots’ keeper Devon Thomas missed a stumping chance off the first ball he faced as he failed to read a googly from Sandeep Lamichhane. But since then, Hetmyer combined aggression with sensible batting as he rotated strike well apart from the 9 fours and 4 sixes he struck. He brought up his fifty off 29 balls and in the 17th over of the chase, collected his ninth boundary to secure a convincing win for the Warriors.

The St. Lucia Stars were cruising in their run chase at 113/2 with Lendl Simmons and Kieron Pollard at the crease. But Emrit had other ideas as he first got rid of Simmons in the 17th over and then dismissed Pollard and Rahkeem Cornwall off consecutive balls in the 19th over in a sensational death bowling spell comprising yorkers, slower deliveries and a mix of well-disguised variations.

The Stars eventually fell short of the target of 141 by three runs and Emrit was deservedly named man-of-the-match.

The Warriors were off to a flying start as they raced to 40/1 in the fifth over of the chase. But Reifer removed both Luke Ronchi and Shimron Hetmyer in an over to put the pressure back on the Warriors. The left-arm pacer returned in the 19th over to kill any remaining hopes that the Warriors had by picking up 3 more wickets and secured a victorious start for the Tridents.

#2 Carlos Brathwaite (St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots) - 41 (15) and 2/19 vs Trinbago Knight Riders, 5th Match

Carlos Brathwaite was at his destructive best against Trinbago Knight Riders. First, he smashed a 15-ball 41 to catapult the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots to a score beyond 200. Then, he bowled a superb spell of four overs, conceding just 19 runs while also picking up the crucial wicket of Colin Munro as one of his two scalps.

The Windies’ T20I captain tore apart the TKR attack, striking as many as 5 sixes in an innings which ensured that his side went into the break on a high. Tasked with opening the bowling for the Patriots, he bowled disciplined line and lengths to suck out the momentum of TKR’s chase and set up a 42-run win for the team.

Brathwaite was unlucky to not be named man-of-the-match, as that honour went to Devon Thomas for his 34-ball 58.

#1 Andre Russell (Jamaica Tallawahs) - 121 (49) and 3/38 vs Trinbago Knight Riders, 3rd Match

Andre Russell could do no wrong against the Trinbago Knight Riders.

First, he pulled off a spectacular catch to get rid of a dangerous-looking Chris Lynn. Then, he registered the first hat-trick of the season in the 20th over of TKR’s innings. But the best was yet to come.

In pursuit of a mammoth target of 224, the Jamaica Tallawahs were reeling at 41/5 when Russell came out to bat. He unleashed a series of brutal stroke-play to stun the Knight Riders as he single-handedly won the match for his team, scoring 121 off just 49 balls.

His all-round performance made him only the second man after Joe Denly to achieve the incredible feat of racking up a ton and taking a hat-trick in the same T20 match.

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