Guyana Amazon Warriors scored 135/7 in 20 overs, where as Antigua and Barbuda Falcons scored 108 all out in 18.5 overs.
So, finally Guyana Amazon Warriors beat Antigua and Barbuda Falcons by 27 runs.
Moeen Ali’s all-round brilliance propelled the defending champions, Guyana Amazon Warriors, into the playoffs of CPL 2024 with a 27-run victory over Antigua and Barbuda Falcons in a low-scoring match.
The English all-rounder first rescued the Warriors with a 33-ball 42, bouncing back from a precarious 63/4 just after the halfway mark, ultimately leading his team to a total of 135.
He then returned to claim impressive figures of 4 overs, 1 maiden, 3 runs, and 9 wickets, restricting the Falcons to just 108 and knocking them out of the competition.
The Warriors had a rocky start with the bat, as Raymon Reifer struggled, taking 14 balls to score his first run and managing only 5 runs overall before being dismissed by Mohammad Amir.
Gudakesh Motie followed suit shortly after, contributing to a flurry of wickets that left the Warriors staring at a sub-par score.
Azam Khan anchored the innings during this phase, even hitting two sixes, but ultimately fell to a long-off catch as he attempted to accelerate the scoring.
Shimron Hetmyer provided brief entertainment with twin sixes in one over, but the innings needed revival.
Moeen and Shai Hope began to stabilize the innings, but Amir and Imad struck in consecutive overs, leaving the Warriors reeling at a lowly 98/6 at the end of the 18th over.
However, Moeen flipped the script, taking on Imad in his final over with three sixes and two boundaries, making it an expensive over worth 26 runs.
The pair added 37 runs off the final two overs, giving the Warriors’ bowlers vital momentum for the second half.
The Falcons found themselves at 16/2 before they could settle in, and Imran Tahir’s double strike in the middle overs further compounded their worries by breaking a blossoming partnership and removing both established batters.
Moeen quickly joined the wicket-taking spree, capturing two wickets in just seven balls across his two overs, effectively dismantling the Falcons’ lower middle order.
Although Chris Green kept some hope alive with a run-a-ball 17 and Joshua James added a handy 15 in six balls, it only delayed the inevitable.
Moeen and Dwaine Pretorius, who helped clean up the tail, both finished with nearly identical figures of 3 for 9.
In a disappointing season for the Falcons, they bowed out with a 27-run defeat in their final league match, also confirming a playoff spot for the Trinbago Knight Riders.
With three games left for three of the playoff teams and TKR having four in hand, the playoffs participants have been solidified.
Leave a Reply