Unicorns, Vipers battle for final spot in GSL qualifier tonight

The stage is set for a blockbuster qualifier in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) this evening as the San Francisco Unicorns and Desert Vipers battle for the right to face the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) in Saturday’s final at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
Despite finishing the league phase with two victories, San Francisco Unicorns Captain Hassan Khan believes his side is still capable of producing a higher standard of cricket when it matters most.
“It’s been a good tournament so far, but I still believe we haven’t played our best cricket to our full potential yet. I’m hoping everyone gets back to it, plays to their potential and produces their best cricket in the playoffs,” Khan said.
Acknowledging the challenges of batting in Guyana, Khan stressed the importance of a collective effort from his batting unit.
“Batting has been a bit tough here in Guyana. We’ve done well in bits and pieces, but if we can bat well together as a team, I think we’ll have a great chance to reach the final and then go on to win it.”
The Unicorns suffered a nine-wicket defeat to the Vipers during the league stage, but Khan believes little can be taken from that rain-affected contest.
“Not much, because it was a rain-affected game. If there wasn’t rain, the result might have been different,” Khan shared. “They had a good start in the powerplay, but it’s really hard to bat in the middle overs here. If you lose one or two early wickets, teams can come back into the game. That match is behind us now. We’ll sit together as a group, have our discussions and come back stronger.”
Desert Vipers Captain Shadab Khan, meanwhile, described his team’s campaign as a “roller coaster ride” after rebounding from two opening defeats with back-to-back victories to secure a playoff berth.
“I think it’s been a roller coaster ride for us. We’ve done some amazing things and some things we didn’t do well, but overall, it has been a team effort. The boys adapted really well to the conditions after the first couple of games, and they performed very well.”
Shadab revealed that despite the slow start, his message to the team never changed.
“We were in both of those first two games even though we lost. My message was simple: control the controllable things. Whatever we can control, we have to do really well, and when we’re on top of the game, don’t give the other teams any cushion.”
Although the Vipers dominated the Unicorns in their previous meeting, Shadab warned that knockout cricket presents an entirely different challenge.
“That victory definitely gives us confidence, but in knockout games you never know how things will unfold. You have to stay calm, believe in yourself and execute your plans. If you do those things well, the result will eventually come.”
With a place in the championship match on the line, both teams will be looking to produce their best performance of the tournament when they meet under the lights tonight from 19:00h.