GEORGETOWN, Guyana – THE Guyana Amazon Warriors have secured a rematch with the high-flying St. Lucia Kings in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) final after defeating the Barbados Royals by eight wickets in the second eliminator at Providence Stadium last evening.
Looking to reach the finals for a second consecutive year, the Warriors won the toss and elected to field first. They quickly made inroads, with Gudakesh Motie removing the in-form Quinton de Kock, who chipped a simple return catch back to the bowler.
The Royals struggled on a two-paced wicket, managing a below-par total of 148 from their 20 overs. The Warriors’ bowlers extracted turn and bounce from the pitch, making life difficult for the batsmen. Imran Tahir, the captain, marshaled his bowlers expertly, as they worked in tandem to restrict and dismantle the Royals' lineup.
Despite several of their batsmen getting starts, no one in the Royals’ camp was able to anchor the innings and push for a decisive score as wickets kept tumbling. Romario Shepherd was key in breaking their momentum, picking up the crucial wicket of Rahkeem Cornwall via a successful lbw review. Cornwall’s dismissal, after looking in fine form, put the Royals under pressure from which they never recovered.
The Warriors’ bowlers shared the spoils, with Shepherd finishing with 3/35 and Moeen Ali delivering yet another decisive spell, conceding just 24 runs in his four overs and taking two wickets, including 13 dot balls. The Royals' innings ended in disarray, as two chaotic run-outs during the final overs capped off a disappointing performance.
The Warriors’ chase was clinical. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Moeen Ali took the attack to the bowlers from the start, hitting boundaries all around the ground. Gurbaz smashed a rapid 40 off just 18 balls, including four sixes, before departing. Ali remained unbeaten on 44 off 35 balls, capping off an excellent all-round performance in this crucial match.
Shai Hope added a classy half-century, but fell to a yorker from Ramon Simmonds when just two runs were needed for victory. Fittingly, Ali struck the winning single a couple of balls later, sealing the victory with 33 deliveries to spare.
The comprehensive victory leaves the Barbados Royals’ title hopes in tatters, while the Guyana Amazon Warriors advance to the final with a chance to claim back-to-back CPL titles. Awaiting them are the Saint Lucia Kings, setting the stage for what promises to be an enthralling conclusion to the 2024 competition.
With the final expected to be played in front of a sell-out crowd, the Warriors will look to defend their crown in front of their home fans and etch their names in CPL history once more - and leave the door for a third consecutive title infront of their home crowd in 2025.
