Guyana Amazon Warriors ended their homestand in style, defeating the Trinbago Knight Riders by six wickets at the Providence Stadium in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
It was the Warriors’ eighth win of the season and further underlined their credentials as the team to beat heading into the play-offs, while simultaneously eliminating the defending champions. Shai Hope’s expertly paced unbeaten 42 and Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s scintillating four-wicket spell proved decisive in another tense encounter at Providence.
Batting first, the Knight Riders would have been wary of the Warriors’ ability to strangle opponents during the opening stages of an innings and adopted a measured approach in the Power Play after they were sent in. They fared better than many of the Warriors’ previous opponents at Providence, but that did little to deter Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who picked up where he left off on his impressive debut by dismissing Colin Munro and Nicholas Pooran with consecutive deliveries.
The Knight Riders managed 43 runs from the Power Play before entering the period that could almost be trademarked “Tahir Time.”
Justin Greaves settled in and provided the backbone of the TKR innings, striking at around a run a ball as wickets fell around him. Imran Tahir eventually had his say, removing opener Alex Hales for a quick 22, but Miraz continued to wreak havoc in the Knight Riders’ middle order.
The Bangladesh all-rounder finished with four wickets, backing up his three-wicket haul on debut against the Kings, while Shamar Joseph brought Greaves’ resistance to an end by rattling his stumps with a fierce yorker.
The Knight Riders’ promising start had been undone by the Warriors’ relentless wicket-taking. Once Greaves departed, the remainder of the TKR batting order struggled to produce any meaningful runs, with Akeal Hosein’s 12 off nine balls the best they could muster as the visitors limped to 126 for 8.
The Warriors have made a habit of restricting their opponents to modest totals and setting up manageable chases on a Providence pitch that has proved increasingly tricky to bat on this season.
That allowed the home side to ease through the Power Play, preserve their wickets and back themselves to finish strongly. That appeared to be the plan once again, with Glenn Phillips, Mavendra Dindyal and Shai Hope guiding the Warriors to 35 for 1 after six overs.
Usman Tariq has been TKR’s version of Imran Tahir this season, boasting an impressive wicket-taking record, and he was not to be denied here, removing Phillips for 11.
Hope then crafted his innings in much the same manner as Greaves had earlier, giving the Knight Riders’ bowlers very few opportunities to get him out. He combined with Shimron Hetmyer for a 49-run partnership before Hetmyer was dismissed by Sunil Narine, with Greaves producing a brilliant diving catch.
With five overs remaining, the Warriors were firmly in the driver’s seat, needing just over a run a ball with plenty of wickets in hand.
Mehidy, who was later named Player of the Match, was caught at short cover, bringing Quentin Sampson to the crease. The Warriors’ premier finisher this season struggled to produce his usual fireworks, but with Hope at the other end, the home side remained in control.
Hope duly delivered the finishing touch, sealing another Warriors victory in style with a Republic Bank Maximum with eight deliveries to spare.The road ends here in 2026 for the defending champions, while the Warriors march on with their eighth victory of the season. They will close out the group phase on Sunday night in Barbados against the Tridents.
