Guyana Amazon Warriors sealed a top finish in the Caribbean Premier League 2024 despite a comprehensive 74-run loss against Trinbago Knight Riders in the final league stage game. With 14 points and a net run rate of 0.79, the Amazon Warriors finished at the top while Saint Lucia Kings and the Knight Riders finished second and third respectively, with 14 points apiece and NRR of 0.67 and 0.55.

Nicholas Pooran, the latest record holder in T20 cricket with the most runs in a calendar year, was the architect of Knight Riders’s victory as he struck a belligerent 101 off 59 balls, which included 9 fours and 8 sixes. Jason Roy (34 off 26) was the next highest run-getter in the innings as the Knight Riders finished with an imposing 211/5. Amazon Warriors didn’t come close as they were bowled out for 137, with Terrance Hinds, Waqar Salamkheil and Nathan Edwards bagging three-wicket hauls, but managed to keep their NRR above to seal a Qualifier 1 berth.

Opting to bat, the Knight Riders lost Shaqkere Parris for a duck in the first over before a huge partnership between Pooran and Roy ensued. They added 152 in less than 14 overs to put their side on course for a big total. Pooran was lethal against Dwaine Pretorius, scoring two sixes and three fours in his first two overs, while Romario Shepherd and Shamar Joseph also came under some attack, with Knight Riders racing to 75 in the powerplay – 51 of those runs scored by Pooran alone, who had registered a 22-ball fifty. By the time the halfway stage was completed, they had moved to 109/1, with Pooran having struck maximums of Imran Tahir and Moeen Ali.

Roy was happy playing the supporting role to Pooran before he struck two successive sixes off Moeen. The century stand and Pooran’s century, off 57 balls, came a short while later as the Knight Riders had powered past 150 in only 14 overs. Joseph ended the partnership by dismissing Roy, and Andre Russell fell to Pretorius soon after hitting a six off Joseph. The pacer picked up two more wickets in his next over, having Pooran caught down the leg side and Tim David bowled, as the Knight Riders lost five wickets for 18 runs. Keacy Carty and Kieron Pollard ensured a positive finish for the Knight Riders, with three fours and two sixes between them in the last two overs.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz helped Amazon Warriors begin the chase positively despite losing opening partner Kevlon Anderson early. Akeal Hosein began economically but was hit for two sixes by Gurbaz in his third over while 26 runs came off Russell’s over with Shai Hope striking three fours and two sixes as Amazon Warriors moved to 63/1 at the end of the powerplay. But regular wickets after that derailed the chase as they slipped to 76/6 in 10 overs.

Hosein began the slide by trapping Hope in front for 28. Salamkheil dismissed Gurbaz and Hetmyer in the same over followed by another double strike as Hinds accounted for Keemo Paul and Shepherd. Pretorius became Salamkheil’s third scalp and Moeen was Hinds’s third wicket, leaving Amazon Warriors reeling at 88/8 in the 12th over. Gudakesh Motie (26*) and Imran Tahir (20) put on a 49-run stand for the ninth wicket to keep the Knight Riders waiting. The stand proved critical in where the Knight Riders finished in the standings, with substitute fielder Bryan Charles’s two dropped chances to reprieve Motie playing a major role. Nathan Edwards eventually wrapped it up in the 19th over with the wickets of Tahir and Joseph but not being able to finish in the top two would have hurt the Knight Riders a bit as they face Barbados Royals in the Eliminator.

Brief scores: Trinbago Knight Riders 211/5 in 20 overs (Nicholas Pooran 101, Jason Roy 34; Shamar Joseph 3-50) beat Guyana Amazon Warriors 137 in 18.5 overs (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 36, Shai Hope 28; Terrance Hinds 3-17, Waqar Salamkheil 3-26) by 74 runs.