The Qualifier 1 of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025 between Guayana Amazon Warriors and Saint Lucia Kings turned out to be a nail-biter. At one point it seemed like Imran Tahir's Warriors will register a comprehensive victory having reduced Kings to 48/7 in the ninth over of the run chase. But, Kary Pierre's half-century and Tymal Mills took the game to the next over. In the end, Kings were bowled out for 143 and lost the match by 14 runs.
Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie was named ‘Player of the match’ for his four-wicket haul. He caused a middle-order collapse which left Kings' run chase in disarray. While Warriors made it to their third straight consecutive final, Kings will go up against Nicholas Pooran's Trinbago Knight Riders in Qualifier 2 on September 19.
Late Cameos help Warriors put on fighting total
Earlier, David Wiese won the toss and opted to bowl first. Warriors did not get off to a flying start as Quentin Sampson struggled against new ball. Ben McDermott scored 34 runs from 27 balls. He dragged one to his stumps against Wiese in the sixth over. Sampson hit a couple of sixes in his run-a-ball 17 before falling to Wiese. At the halfway stage, Warriors were 77/2.
Shamarh Brooks, Shimron Hetmyer and Moeen Ali could not make a mark as flow of boundaries was stemmed. Dwaine Pretorius pushed the scoring rate with an eight-ball 17. Tabraiz Shamsi finished his spell with Pretorius' wicket, his third scalp. Romario Shepherd took the mantle from Pretorius while Shai Hope fell for a 29-ball 32 in the penultimate over. Shepherd contributed with an eight-ball 21. In the final over, Tymal Mills struck twice to bowl out Warriors for 157 in 19.5 overs.
Kings’ batting collapse
Pretorius did the trick with the new ball by knocking over Tim Seifert in the first over. Then, Shepherd dismissed Johnson Charles in his first over. Pretorius continued to strike and got rid of Ackeem Auguste for a single-digit score. After powerplay overs, Kings were 37/3. Motie was introduced into the attack and he got the prized wickets of Roston Chase and Tim David. Kings lost half the side for 40 in the seventh over. Tahir joined the party by getting the better of Aaron Jones. In his second over, Motie dismissed skipper Wiese as Kings found themselves down seven wickets for 48 in 8.4 overs.
Pierre revives run chase but Warriors beat Kings
Pierre revived the run chase as he hit fours and sixes. Joseph supported him from the other end as well, putting pressure on the Warriors. Tahir returned for his final over and broke the partnership with Joseph's wicket in the 14th over. Tymal Mills did not crumble under pressure and supported Pierre. The left-handed batter reached his maiden CPL fifty with a six. But, on the next ball he lost his wicket to Motie. His knock of 29-ball 50 featured three fours and five sixes. In the penultimate over, Mills hit a six and a four off Shepherd. In the final over, Kings needed 16 runs. Mills could not finish off the run chase and got caught off the first ball bowled by Hassan Khan. Mills departed for an 18-ball 30.