Latest update April 17th, 2025 8:13 AM
Unbeaten Warriors crush Tallawahs by 7 wickets after Ayub assault
Republic Bank CPL 2023…
Guyana Amazon Warriors vs. Jamaica Tallawahs at Providence
– Ayub 85, eclipses King’s half-century
Kaieteur Sports – Saim Ayub’s 53-ball 85 blitz took unbeaten Guyana Amazon Warriors to the top of the table after destroying the Jamaica Tallawahs by 7 wickets as the final leg of the tournament bowled off in Guyana last night.
Warriors aced their chase of 152, ending on 155-3 in 18. 3 overs after sublime stroke-play from Ayub, who was the team’s champion for the yet another game.
The Pakistan left-hander cracked 85 off 53 with 5 fours and 5 sixes, as he passed 50 for the third consecutive time as he remains the Warriors and the tournament’s leading run-scorer.
Twenty year-old Matthew Nandu, playing his first game, was stylish in his approach and looked on course to fifty before he was bowled by ex-Warriors skipper Chris Green (1-32) after hitting 3 fours in his 37 off 35 deliveries.
Both left-handers, Nandu and Ayub, oozed class as they pounced on anything short or loose on their way to a half-century opening stand, by the end of the power-play.
Saim Ayub and Matthew Nandu led from the front with a century partnership to see the Warriors home. (CPL)
Ayub was ultra-aggressive, dealing in an assortment of boundaries as he clobbered his way to his to fifty off 33 balls, while Nandu played his role quietly yet effectively at the other end; as they added the Warriors first 100 partnership.
After Green removed Nandu, Ayub continued to assault the opposition bowlers as he seemed to be eyeing a hundred, attempting to over hit a deliver from pacer Chemar Springer, only to be out caught.
Shai Hope’s only four finished the game as he ended on 16 not out off 17 balls, sealing a victory with 9 balls remaining.
Earlier, the Tallawahs posted 152-5 from 20 overs batting first. Opener and skipper Brandon King returned to form with a crisp 52 off 32 (10×4, 1×6) to lead the show.
Guyana Amazon Warriors fans came out in their numbers to see the home leg of the CPL off to a desired start. (CPL)
All-rounders Raymon Reifer hit 3 fours in his 20* while Fabian Allen muscled two monster sixes in his 21* to help the Tallawahs post a defendable total, as not much came from their batters with the exception of Kirk Mckenzie (13) and Wasim (18).
Warriors’ bowlers capitalized on their home turf knowledge, with spinners, skipper Imran Tahir (1-19) and left-arm Gudakesh Motie (1-29) again creating issues for the opposition.
Fast-bowler Romario Shepherd (1-19) snatched the wicket of England opener Alex Hales (9) but it was South African pacer Dwaine Pretorius who was the star, bagging both of his 2 wickets in one over, costing just 33 from his 4 overs.
Warriors players celebrate a Tallawahs wicket. (CPL)
King gave his team a racing start as he smashed boundaries around a venue which he was all too familiar with, at one point taking struggling medium-pacer Odean Smith to the cleaners, smacking him for 17 runs in his first over, to finish the power-play.
The Tallawahs captain then raced to his 2nd fifty at Providence off 30-odd balls before he was bowled by Motie. The dismissal opened the gates for Guyana who managed to pick up a few wickets while keeping a grip on the run-flow.
After the skipper’s departure, Allen provided some later order power-hitting, entertaining the Guyanese crowd as his two huge sixes, one which sailed into the glass of the Media Center and the other, a 100-plus meter 6 which landed on the roof, helped his team creep towards a respectable score.
The Warriors will play Barbados Royals today from 7:00pm.
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