Providence (Guyana): Guyana Amazon Warriors secured their place in the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) playoffs with a 37-run win over Trinbago Knight Riders here on Sunday.
The Warriors, who had seven points from nine matches took their tally to nine with the win and were second behind Barbados Royals, who have 16 points from nine games.
Three teams, St Lucia Kings, Jamaica Tallawahs and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots have eight points each, but St Lucia and Tallawahs have one match each left. The Patriots have eight points
The Trinbago Knights Riders have seven points and have played all 10 matches and out of the race for a place in the play-offs.
Trinbago Knight Riders won the toss and chose to field in this must-win game, with Amazon Warriors opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz giving the fans at Providence stadium a spectacle, scoring 60 from 42 balls to ignite the Warrior’s innings and help take them to 173/6.
The Warriors suffered an early setback in their innings as Ravi Rampaul showed his effectiveness in the Power Play by taking the wicket of Chandrapaul Hemraj. Gurbaz played some spectacular shots to accelerate the run rate.
Sunil Narine, who did not bowl until the 12th over, brought the Knight Riders back into the game by taking the key wickets of Shakib Al Hasan and Romario Shepherd.
A remarkable late blitz from Odean Smith, scoring 23 runs from 7 balls, took the Warriors to 173/6.
In their chase, the Trinbago Knight Riders built a steady opening partnership through Tim Seifert and Colin Munro, but wickets then fell throughout their innings as the Amazon Warriors were spurred on by a vocal home crowd.
Led by Shakib, the Warriors fought back to take wickets and showed some spectacular fielding to dismiss Nicholas Pooran.
Once captain Kieron Pollard was out stumped, the Knight Riders faced an uphill battle and finished on 136 all out. The Knight Riders finished 136 all out and lost by 37 runs.
Brief scores: Guyana Amazon Warriors: 173/ 6 (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 60, Shakib Al Hasan 35, Sunil Narine 2/23) beat Trinbago Knight Riders 136 all out (Colin Munro 30, Samit Patel 34, Shakib Al Hasan 3/20, Imran Tahir 2/31, Junior Sinclair 2/26) by 37 runs. Man of the match: Shakib Al Hasan.
–IANS