Antigua and Barbuda Falcons scored 168/6 in 20 overs, where as Guyana Amazon Warriors scored 171/7 in 20 overs.
So, finally Guyana Amazon Warriors won by 3 wickets.
A second consecutive last-ball finish marked the 2024 Caribbean Premier League as Dwaine Pretorius led the Guyana Amazon Warriors to a thrilling 3-wicket victory over the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua.
Chasing a target of 169, the Warriors needed 16 runs off the final over.
Pretorius delivered under pressure, smashing Mohammad Amir for three fours and a six off the last ball to secure the win.
The chase began shakily for the Warriors with the early dismissal of Gudakesh Motie.
However, Rahmanullah Gurbaz injected momentum by striking two sixes in a single over off Shamar Springer.
But Imad Wasim soon halted their progress by dismissing Gurbaz, who top-edged a slog sweep.
Despite managing only 41 runs in the powerplay and reaching 68/3 at the halfway mark, the Warriors struggled to maintain the required run rate.
Shimron Hetmyer fell for a labored 19 off 21 balls, undone by Wasim after briefly threatening with a four and a six.
Azam Khan’s unfortunate dismissal, where a short ball from Springer ricocheted onto his stumps, added to the pressure.
Keemo Paul and Shai Hope each hit a six, but the Falcons continued to strike at regular intervals, with Paul falling to his namesake.
Romario Shepherd and Hope provided a late surge, with both hitting sixes off Chris Green in the 17th over, though Hope was dismissed soon after for a well-fought 41.
Amir, who had bowled a maiden and conceded only three runs in his first two overs, was taken apart by Shepherd for two sixes in the 18th over.
Shepherd continued his onslaught with another maximum off Springer before being dismissed for a rapid 32 off 16 balls.
Shamar Joseph’s six off Springer brought the equation down to 16 runs before Pretorius finished it in style.
Earlier, after opting to bat first, the Falcons lost Teddy Bishop early but recovered with a solid 74-run partnership between Fakhar Zaman and Kofi James.
James took the attack to Shamar, hitting two fours and a six in the fourth over, while Zaman unleashed against Imran Tahir, smashing two sixes and a four as the Falcons raced to 61/1 by the end of the powerplay.
The duo continued to score freely until Motie broke through in the 10th over, bowling James for 37.
At 86/2 after 10 overs, the Falcons were well-positioned, but a disciplined bowling effort from Motie helped the Warriors apply the brakes.
In the 11-17 over phase, the Falcons managed only 43 runs as Motie claimed 3 for 25, including the key wickets of Sam Billings and Jewel Andrew.
Zaman was dismissed by Pretorius for a steady 40 off 33 balls, leaving the responsibility to Wasim to push the total towards 170.
Wasim responded with a flurry of boundaries, including three fours off Shamar in the 18th over, a six off Pretorius, and two more fours in the final over, finishing with an impactful 40 off 21 balls that lifted the Falcons to a competitive score.
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