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Defending champions Guyana Amazon Warriors defeated Antigua and Barbuda Falcons in match No. 2 of the CPL (Caribbean Premier League) 2024 at Antigua’s Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Friday, August 30. The outcome helped the Warriors take the top spot on the points table with an NRR of 0.150.
Warriors’ ascension prompted St Kitts and Nevis Patriots to slip to number two on the six-team standings with an NRR of 0.050. With two last-ball defeats in two matches, Antigua and Barbuda Falcons are ranked third on the table with a dismal NRR of -0.100.
Barbados Royals, St Lucia Kings, and Trinbago Knight Riders occupy the bottom half of the CPL 2024 points table as they are yet to play their opening games of the season.
CPL 2024: Gudakesh Motie headlines Warriors win with three-fer
Batting first, Antigua and Barbuda Falcons lost opening batter Teddy Bishop to a runout in just the second over of the innings. Fakhar Zaman (40 off 37 balls) and Kofi James (37 off 24 balls) led the Falcons' recovery by sharing a counterattacking 74-run partnership from just 44 deliveries for the second wicket.
Guyana Amazon Warriors spinner Gudakesh Motie halted the Falcons' run rampage by picking up three crucial middle-order wickets in his three successive overs. Bagging figures of 3/25, Motie’s spell was followed by a swift Imad Wasim cameo of 40 runs from 21 balls to blaze the Falcons to 168/6 by the completion of their innings.
In response, the Guyana Amazon Warriors recorded a sluggish powerplay start of 41/2 with the loss of both openers to Imad Wasim and Chris Green. Both Wasim and Green picked up an additional wicket in the innings in the form of Shimron Hetmyer and Shai Hope, respectively. Hope departed after top-scoring with 41 runs from 34 balls.
As the Warriors slipped to 122/6 in a chase of 169, Romario Shepherd blasted four sixes in his 32-run whirlwind cameo to take his team to the brink of Falcons total. Dwaine Pretorius sealed the deal for the Warriors by pummelling Mohammad Amir for a huge last-ball six to finish at 20* from 10 balls.
