WARRIORS OUTCLASS RIDERS IN BLOCKBUSTER CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE
Guyana Amazon Warriors overcame defending champions Rangpur Riders to win the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) on home turf at Providence Stadium in front of rapturous local support on Friday night.
The Warriors won the toss courtesy of 46 year-old veteran captain Imran Tahir and elected to have first use of the pitch with the bat. Pummelling the highest total of the tournament just when they needed a big performance, the Warriors reached 196/4. The Riders could muster only 164 all out in the final over in response – cure jubilant scenes at the ground as Tahir and his side claimed the title of GSL winners 2025.
The Warriors found the rope with increasing regularity with the bat, after opener Evin Lewis fell to an excellent diving catch in the deep from Saif Hassan off the bowling of Khaled Ahemed to leave the home side 21-1 it was a procession of boundaries from the Warriors thereafter.
A huge stand of 121 runs between Johnson Charles (67 off 48) and wicket-keeper batter - and eventual Player of the Match - Rahmanullah Gurbaz (66 off 38) set the Warriors up for a substantial total.
Riders captain, Nurul Hasan tried seven different bowlers but couldn’t stop the flow of runs, the Warriors hitting 6 sixes and 19 fours in their innings, Sherfane Rutherford and Romario Shepherd finishing the innings with a flourish.
Riders gave it a decent crack but fell 32 runs short in the end and surrendered their crown to the home side. A steady fall of wickets and the commanding Warriors total meant that the pressure was always on. Saif Hasan was run out when well set on 41 off 26 balls and Iftikhar Ahmed was pinned lbw by the impressive Dwaine Pretorious shortly after.
Pretorious finished with 3/37 with the ball and was ably supported by captain Tahir with 2/39. Perhaps most impressive though was Moeen Ali who whirled through three overs of spin for just 13 runs, only being hit for a solitary four and picking up the crucial scalp of Kyle Mayers.
An impressive team performance with bat and ball saw the Warriors claim the title in some style in front of home support on an unforgettable night for Guyana.
For match photos from this game. please click here. This can be used for editorial purposes. CREDIT: GSLT20/Getty Images.
