GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – In a night of high drama and unrelenting excitement, the Guyana Amazon Warriors delivered a masterclass to defeat defending champions Rangpur Riders by 32 runs and claim the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) title on home soil here Friday night.
A raucous Providence Stadium crowd roared their heroes to victory as the Warriors posted a mammoth 196-4 before dismantling the Riders for 164 in the final over.
Veteran skipper Imran Tahir won the toss and opted to bat first, a decision that paid off spectacularly.
Despite losing opener Evin Lewis early to a stunning diving catch by Saif Hassan, the Warriors unleashed a relentless assault.
Johnson Charles with 67 off 48 balls and Player of the Match Rahmanullah Gurbaz 66 off 38, combined for a devastating 121-run stand, peppering the boundary ropes with 19 fours and six sixes.
Rangpur’s bowlers had no answer, with captain Nurul Hasan cycling through seven options without success.
Sherfane Rutherford, at 19, and Romario Shepherd, at 28, provided a fiery finish, ensuring the Warriors posted the highest total of the tournament.
Chasing 197, the Riders started brightly but crumbled under the weight of the required rate. Saif Hassan’s promising 41 off 26 ended with a run-out, while Iftikhar Ahmed fell lbw to Dwaine Pretorius, who claimed 3-37, in a disciplined bowling effort.
Tahir with 2-39 and Moeen Ali 1-13, also helped to turn the screws, with Ali’s miserly spell including the key wicket of Kyle Mayers.
The Riders’ chase fizzled out in the final over, sparking wild celebrations as the Warriors sealed their maiden GSL triumph. “This is for Guyana!” said Captain Tahir as his team lifted the trophy, capping off a near-flawless campaign.
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