The Guyana National Stadium is next Tuesday, November 26th, expected to be enraptured in the same vibrancy and excitement that engulfs the venue during the Caribbean Premier League. This is as the inaugural ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League gets underway.
Local franchise Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) will come up against 4 other T20 champions from around the world, namely: Pakistan’s Lahore Qalandars, Bangladesh’s Rangpur Riders, Australia’s Victoria Cricket and England’s Hampshire Hawks, with a US$1M prize pool on the line.
During an exclusive sit down with Guyana Times Sport on Tuesday, Director of the GSL T20, Jamie Stewart, discussed the unique opportunity that Guyanese fans have to witness the tournament and be part of cricketing history.
“It’s only really happened once before, and that was over a decade ago. So, it’s a very ambitious project, I guess. You know, everyone loves the Warriors, and now the fans get a chance to see them play against the top Pakistan Super League team, the top Bangladesh Premier League team and the most winningest T20 Blast team from UK in Hampshire. So, it’s very unique. The prize money you’ve seen is significant. Guyana is making history; and I hope, to the fans out there, you’ll come and be part of history with us,” Stewart told this daily publication.
In detailing what fans can expect for the GSL T20, Stewart alluded to a riveting party atmosphere, one similar to the CPL. He explained, “The reason the CPL team has been brought in to help execute this in relatively tight timelines is to deliver to the fans the same sort of experiences they get at CPL. So you can expect more of the big party, more of the party atmosphere, more of the entertainment on and off the field, whether it be Tassa bands, stilt walker, fire breathers, and all of that stuff that people have come to expect from CPL,” he said.
“So, we’re going to have that experience, but this time it’s not the Warriors taking on the rest of the Caribbean, it’s the Warriors taking on the World; and that’s pretty exciting,” he went on to share.
With less than 7 days left to get tickets, Stewart is urging Guyanese fans to do so, highlighting the importance of having a memorable start to the tournament.
“It’s the run to the finish line here,” Stewart joked about the time remaining before the tournament starts.
He further noted, “We want to make sure this is Guyana; bold, confident, dynamic Guyana, projecting itself to the world. And so it’s very important, I think, that in that first match we have a packed stadium beaming out across to literally hundreds of millions of people around the world, who will be watching this event.
“It’s very important we fill the stadium for that first game. I hope the fans will come out to cheer the Warriors against the Lahore team, which are by far the most popular team in the PSL,” he disclosed.
