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Guyana Amazon Warriors at their homeground on September 4 beat Barbados Royals by eight wickets comfortably to book their spot in Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2024 final. Shai Hope scored fifty whereas openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Moeen Ali's knocks in 40s helped Warriors chase down the target of 149 with eight wickets in hand and 33 balls to spare.
Royals fail to take off
Earlier, Warriors skipper Imran Tahir won the toss and opted to bowl first. Quinton de Kock fell early to Gudakesh Motie for a run-a-ball 15. Rahkeem Cornwall hit a few boundaries before getting trapped in front of the stumps by Romario Shepherd's slower one. Alick Athanaze and Kadeem Aleeyne looked to form a partnership. Tahir broke the partnership with Alleyne's wicket. He contributed with a run-a-ball 11. Then Moeen dismissed Athanaze in the next over. He scored 26 runs from 24 balls. Skipper Rovman Powell could not do much either and became Moeen's second victim.
From 87/5, David Miller and Jason holder tried to push the scoring rate. Miller hit a couple of sixes and fours in his 26-ball 36. He lost his wicket to Dwaine Pretorius in the penultimate over. In the final over of the innings, Shepherd struck twice to dismiss Holder and Naveen-ul-Haq whereas Maheesh Theekshana and Obed McCoy were run out. Royals were bowled out for 148 in 20 overs.
Easy run chase for Warriors
The run chase got off to an ideal start. In the third over, Gurbaz nullified the challenged posed by Theekshana with two sixes. Then he took on his countryman Naveen and hit him for a six and two fours in the 18-run over. He hit Theekshana for another six before falling to him in the fifth over. He scored 40 runs from 18 balls. Hope got off to a good start too as he hit Holder for two fours and a six. Warriors were 72/1 after powerplay overs.
Moeen held on to one end. Meanwhile, Hope took on off-spinner Cornwall hitting a four and a six. In the next over, Moeen hit Rammon Simmonds for his first six of the innings. Warriors crossed the 100-run mark in the ninth over. In the 12th over, Hope reached his fifty from 26 balls. Simmonds got the consolation wicket in the 15th over as he got bowled by Simmons. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 56 runs from 33 balls including six fours and a couple of sixes. Moeen finished the run chase with a single. The former England cricketer remained unbeaten for 44 runs from 35 balls.
Warriors will now take on Faf du Plessis-led Saint Lucia Kings in the final at the same venue on October 6.
