Providence, Guyana – THE Guyana Amazon Warriors kept their hopes alive for the inaugural Global Super League title with a thrilling four-wicket win over the Hampshire Hawks at the Guyana National Stadium on Friday evening (Dec. 1).
Determined to bounce back from their recent defeat in this short and fiercely competitive tournament, the Amazon Warriors delivered a spirited performance to secure the much-needed victory.
After winning the toss and electing to bowl, the Warriors made an immediate impact with Tanzim Hasan Shakib dismissing Ali Orr for a duck in the second over, leaving Hampshire at 26-1. Despite the early setback, Shan Masood counter-attacked with flair, dominating Roston Chase in the fifth over by hitting five boundaries.
Romario Shepherd (1-14) then struck in the final over of the powerplay, dismissing Tom Prest for a laboured 6 off 13 balls. By the end of the powerplay, Hampshire had scored 36 runs, with the Warriors’ pacers conceding only 16 runs in five overs.
Masood continued to anchor the innings, reaching his half-century off 29 balls with a straight six off Gudakesh Motie in the 10th over. At the halfway stage, the Hawks were 68-2. Masood’s brilliant knock of 79 off 54 balls, featuring eight fours and two sixes, finally ended when Imran Tahir dismissed him in the 16th over. Two balls later, Tahir struck again, removing Liam Dawson for a duck. Tahir’s impressive spell saw him finish with 3-18.
Late contributions from Toby Albert (22 off 9 balls) and James Fuller (17 off 15) helped Hampshire post a competitive total of 146-6 in their 20 overs.
The Warriors experimented with their third opening pair of the tournament, sending Kevlon Anderson and Moeen Ali to the crease. However, Hampshire struck early, with Ben Fuller removing Anderson and Shai Hope in consecutive deliveries, leaving the Warriors reeling at 18-2 in the fourth over. Baker then dismissed Moeen Ali with the last ball of the powerplay, tilting the game further in Hampshire’s favor.
Roston Chase and Shimron Hetmyer steadied the innings, guiding the Warriors to 79-3 at the halfway mark. However, the partnership ended shortly after, with Hetmyer falling for 24 off 23 balls while attempting a big shot off Ben Howell. Chase (33 off 26) soon followed, bowled by a delivery that kept low as the pressure mounted.
Despite the setbacks, Gudakesh Motie played a vital cameo, scoring 16 off 10 balls, bringing the target within reach. Hassan Khan (27 not out) and Romario Shepherd (11 not out) then calmly guided the Warriors home with two balls to spare.
The victory moves the Caribbean side to second place on the points table. With another win required to secure their spot in Friday’s final, the Amazon Warriors remain firmly in contention to claim the title.
