PROVIDENCE – In a heart-stopping finish that epitomised the drama of the Caribbean Premier League, the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots snatched a sensational five-run victory from the jaws of defeat against the Guyana Amazon Warriors in Guyana on Thursday night.
The win, sealed on the very last ball, was engineered by a breathtaking display of death bowling from Naseem Shah.
Needing a manageable 15 runs from the final over, the Warriors and a packed home crowd were poised for celebration. But Naseem Shah, with ice in his veins, had other ideas.
The young paceman executed a series of near-perfect yorkers, first dismissing the dangerous Keemo Paul for nine before conceding just five runs to stun the stadium into silence and secure a vital win for the Patriots.
The victory, carved out of a must-win situation, keeps the Patriots’ flickering playoff hopes burning bright.
Earlier, after being sent in to bat by Warriors captain Imran Tahir, the Patriots’ innings was built upon a masterful knock from Pakistani opener Mohammad Rizwan.
His brilliant 85 from 62 balls, featuring eight fours and three sixes, provided the backbone of a competitive total of 149-6. Despite the Warriors taking wickets at regular intervals, Rizwan’s composure ensured his side had a fighting chance.
His innings ended in unfortunate fashion, run out after a miscommunication in the penultimate over. Navin Bidaisee chipped in with an unbeaten 22 against two wickets for Gudakesh Motie and Hassan Khan.
In reply, the Warriors’ chase was a story of persistent contention without a match-winning contribution. They kept pace with the required rate throughout but lacked a single, defining innings to anchor their effort, much like Rizwan’s for the Patriots.
Shai Hope was the innings’ top scorer with 31, with Ben McDermott weighing in with 21 in their total of 144-8, this against two wickets for Shah and Waqar Salamkheil.
The result shakes up the CPL table as the tournament enters its final phase. The Patriots now sit in fifth with six points from nine games, while the Warriors remain in fourth with eight points from seven, making every remaining match crucial.
CMC
Summarised scores
PATRIOTS 149-6 in 20 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 85, Navin Bidaisee 22 not out, Rilee Rossouw 14; Hassan Khan 2-21, Gudakesh Motie 2-44) vs AMAZON WARRIORS 144-8 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 31, Ben McDermott 21, Moeen Ali 19, Quentin Sampson 14 not out, Hassan Khan 11, Dwaine Pretorius 10; Waqar Salamkheil 2-28, Naseem Shah 2-29).
St Kitts & Nevis Patriots won by five runs
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