Tallawahs title defence ends

PROVIDENCE, Guyana (CMC):

HOSTS GUYANA Amazon Warriors will continue their fierce rivalry with Trinbago Knight Riders in the final of the Caribbean Premier League today.

The Amazon Warriors followed up a breezy 54 from Azam Khan with disciplined bowling and clinched the right to play for the title with an 81-run win against last year’s champions Jamaica Tallawahs in the qualifying final of the Twenty20 tournament on Friday at the Guyana National Stadium.

Chasing 183 to win, the Tallawahs batting imploded, and they were all out for 101 with Pakistani fast bowler Mohammad Amir unable to bat after pulling up lame in the final over of his spell after the Warriors were put in to bat.

Fittingly, Amazon Warriors captain and Pakistan-born, former South Africa leg-spinner Imran Tahir, formalised the result when he bowled Nicholson Gordon for a four-ball duck and ended with the flattering figures of three for seven from 2.2 overs.

South African pacer Dwaine Pretorius was officially adjudged the Player of the Match for taking two for 21 from four overs and setting the Tallawahs slide in motion with the scalps of England international Alex Hales for 15 and West Indies batsman Shamarh Brooks for one inside the Power Play.

Pretorius later shared the honour with Khan during the TV interview that followed the presentation of the award.

Tallawahs crumbled to 32 for four at the close of the Power Play and their chances of reaching the final were effectively over, but Pakistani all-rounder Imad Wasim stood tall with a resolute 43 not out to prop up the batting.

“I feel really proud,” Tahir said during the post-play captains’ TV interviews. “If coming to this competition anyone said that I will be playing the final, I will take it any day.

“I am just very proud of our boys. Everybody chipped in, and it’s the story of the whole season since we started. Everyone tried to play their role… We’ve worked really hard.

“It’s really nice to see Azam get some runs. He has been working really, really hard, I can tell you that, and (Shimron) Hetmyer too. I am pleased that they both got runs.”

Tahir added the match against the Knight Riders will be big, and he expected that several players will have nerves, but they will rise to the challenge.

“We have been in these situations many times before, including myself, so being part of this beautiful franchise for last six years … . Look, I feel like if you are not nervous, you are not a human being, you are maybe (former South Africa teammate) A.B. deVilliers because I think he is the best cricketer who never feels anything.

“But I think that you have to have some nerves as long as it stays positive, and the only thing I said to the boys is we deserve to be in the final because the way we have been playing our cricket … We outclassed all other teams, so we just need to keep believing in ourselves and play the game how we have been playing, so I am pleased that everything we planned came together nicely, especially in front of the home crowd.”

Before another packed house, Khan turned things around for Amazon Warriors with an explosive 27-ball innings, and the home team reached 182 for six from their allocation for 20 overs.

They appeared to be on life support when Shai Hope was caught at long-on off Gordon in the 13th over, and they slipped to 92 for three, but Khan, the burly Pakistani wicketkeeper-batsman, shared three small, but impactful partnerships with Hetmyer, Romario Shepherd, and Odean Smith to swing the momentum.

The result meant that the Warriors will now contest their sixth CPL final and will aim to win the title for the first time.