PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Guyana Amazon Warriors remained unbeaten by halting Trinbago Knight Riders’ three-game winning streak, conjuring up a convincing six-wicket win at Queen’s Park Oval Tuesday night.
Asked to chase 173 in the opening men’s Caribbean Premier League fixture of the Trinidad leg, Amazon Warriors overhauled the target with five balls to spare, posting their fourth win in five games to coast to the top of the table on nine points.
Their chase was masterminded by 21-year-old Pakistan opener Saim Ayub, who top-scored with 63 from 43 balls, and West Indies one-day captain Shai Hope, who stroked a delightful 51 off 40 deliveries.
Both fell still with work left to do, but Azam Khan arrived to blast a 14-ball unbeaten 29, ending the game with a straight six off pacer Andre Russell.
“[Saim] is talented, so we got him. He did well. Nice to get him some big runs,” said Amazon Warriors captain Imran Tahir.
“Shai is the best player in world cricket at the moment, and he showed why.”
Sent in earlier, TKR never really hit their straps, and it was left to Akeal Hosein – better known for his left-arm spin – to top score with 44 not out from 35 balls after being promoted to number five.
Ireland’s Lorcan Tucker chipped in with 38 from 25 deliveries while captain Kieron Pollard struck a 12-ball 25, TKR gathering 56 runs from the last five overs to reach 172 for eight from their 20 overs.
They lost Mark Deyal for one to the seventh ball of the contest with two runs on the board. Still, left-hander Nicholas Pooran (18) put on 32 for the second wicket with New Zealander Martin Guptill (15), who then added 25 for the third wicket with Tucker to stabilize the innings.
Still, TKR stuttered on 59 for three in the ninth over and needed Hosein’s intervention to reach their eventual total.
First, the left-hander put on 39 for the fourth wicket with Tucker, who counted five fours, before adding 34 for the sixth wicket with Pollard, who belted three fours and a six.
Hosein struck two fours and three sixes, while fast bowler Odean Smith picked up three for 31 to lead the visitor’s attack.
In reply, Amazon Warriors were set back early through the loss of Chanderpaul Hemraj for 10, the left-hander pouched at deep square by Pooran off Russell (2-29) in the third over, with only 18 on the board.
However, any hopes TKR entertained of running through the Amazon Warriors innings were then dashed as Saim smashed four fours and four sixes and Hope, three fours and three sixes, as the pair posted an entertaining 93 for the second wicket to put their side in firm control.
When Saim miscued a scoop back to Russell at the end of the 14th over, Hope added a further 33 for the third wicket with Azam, who put the finishing touches on the win with two fours and three sixes in his cameo.
and then 