The Guyana Amazon Warriors began their home leg of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in impressive fashion, defeating the Jamaica Kingsmen by eight wickets in Match 26 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
The Warriors won the toss and opted to field, with fast bowler Dwaine Pretorius making an immediate impact by striking in the opening over. He trapped Kirk McKenzie lbw for just one.
Maaz Sadaqat and Keacy Carty briefly steadied the Kingsmen innings, but Pretorius, bowling his third consecutive over, struck again to remove Carty for 18 from 12 deliveries, including two sixes.
The Kingsmen reached 46 for two at the end of the powerplay, but their innings soon lost momentum.
Usman Khan struggled to 10 from 12 balls before Khary Pierre claimed his first wicket. Sadaqat was then handed a reprieve when Shimron Hetmyer dropped a chance, allowing the left-hander to continue as the Kingsmen reached 66 for three after 10 overs.
The pressure continued to mount after the halfway stage. Local player Keemo Paul was run out for 15, leaving the Kingsmen 83 for four after 12.1 overs.
The very next delivery brought another setback when Mohammed Nabi removed captain Rovman Powell for a golden duck.
Sadaqat’s resistance finally ended at 35 from 33 balls when he holed out to Quentin Sampson at long-off, giving Pierre his second wicket and leaving the Kingsmen in serious trouble at 87 for six.
With the innings threatening to unravel, former Guyana Amazon Warriors players Odean Smith and Hassan Khan launched a timely counterattack. The pair added 55 runs for the seventh wicket to revive the Kingsmen’s hopes of posting a competitive total.
Khan was particularly destructive, plundering 21 runs from the 19th over bowled by veteran leg-spinner Imran Tahir, including three sixes.
Smith was eventually run out for 13, but Khan continued his assault and brought up his half-century in the final over.
The right-hander finished unbeaten on a superb 60 from just 28 deliveries, striking two fours and six sixes, as the Kingsmen closed on 159 for seven from their allotted 20 overs.
The Warriors, however, made light work of the target.
Mavendra Dindyal and Rahmanullah Gurbaz gave the home side a flying start, putting together a 46-run opening stand, with Dindyal leading the charge.
The young Guyanese entertained the home crowd with a blistering 33 from just 17 deliveries, including one four and four sixes, before he was beaten by a brilliant yorker from Hunain Shah.
Despite losing Dindyal, the Warriors maintained their momentum, reaching 65 for one at the end of the powerplay.
Gurbaz and Shai Hope continued to dominate after the powerplay, finding the boundary with regularity as the Warriors moved to a commanding 98 for one after 10 overs.
Making his first appearance of this year’s CPL, Gurbaz brought up his half-century in emphatic fashion, launching Vitel Lawes straight over the bowler’s head for six.
Sadaqat eventually broke the partnership when Gurbaz was caught at cover for 54 from 35 balls, an innings that included five fours and three sixes. The Warriors were comfortably placed at 114 for two after 12.2 overs.
In-form batsman Shimron Hetmyer then joined Hope to finish the job. Hetmyer struck 30 from 17 balls, including two fours and a six, while Hope remained composed throughout his unbeaten 39 from 35 deliveries.
The pair guided the Warriors to 160 for two in just 17.2 overs, completing a convincing eight-wicket victory and giving the home side an ideal start to their Providence leg of the CPL.
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