AI Simulation, GAW vs SLK | Tahir and Hope star as Guyana Amazon Warriors reach third consecutive CPL final

‌Pitch & Weather

The Providence surface was flat with even bounce and spinners getting turn grip in the middle overs. However, chasing under lights got easier as the ball skidded on with the onset of dew. 

It was a humid and cloudy night in Georgetown with the temperatures coming down slightly as the game progressed. 

Toss & Conditions

St Lucia Kings won the toss and elected to bat first.

Lineups

Guyana Amazon Warriors: Ben McDermott, Quentin Sampson, Shai Hope (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Romario Shepherd, Dwaine Pretorius, Moeen Ali, Shamarh Brooks, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph, Imran Tahir (c).

St Lucia Kings: Tim Seifert (wk), Johnson Charles, Ackeem Auguste, Roston Chase, Tim David, Delano Potgieter, Aaron Jones, David Wiese (c), Khary Pierre, Alzarri Joseph, Tabraiz Shamsi.

Match Report

The Providence crowd was treated to another high-quality clash as the Guyana Amazon Warriors progressed to the final of Caribbean Premier League 2025 with a composed six-wicket victory over the St Lucia Kings in the first qualifier. Under lights in Guyana, the home side put in an all-round performance with captain Imran Tahir picking up a three-wicket haul and Shai Hope anchoring the chase with an unbeaten half-century. 

Opting to bat first at the Providence Stadium, St Lucia Kings got off to a flier through opener Tim Seifert. The Kiwi wicketkeeper-batter combined cleanly lofted drives with sharp placements through the ground to dominate the powerplay. He hammered a 38-ball 62, which included six fours and three sixes. Meanwhile, fellow opener Johnson Charles and Ackeem Auguste chipped in with entertaining cameos, with the latter’s 33 off 20 offering stability in the middle overs. However, the innings lost momentum with the spinners tightening the screws in the middle overs. Captain Imran Tahir used his variations cleverly to remove Auguste, Tim David, and rival skipper David Wiese. The veteran leg-spinner ended with figures of 3/27 in four overs, while Gudakesh Motie also chipped in with two wickets. The pair ensured that the Kings' innings stopped at 176/7, despite a solid start from their openers.

In response, Guyana’s openers Ben McDermott and Quentin Sampson set the tone with a 60-run stand inside the mandatory powerplay of six overs. McDermott’s fluent 41, which came in 27 balls and included five fours and two sixes, and Sampson’s aggressive 36 rattled the Kings’ pacers, who once again leaked runs. Though Shamsi pulled things back with two quick breakthroughs, Shai Hope played the anchor’s role to perfection. The wicketkeeper-batter's 58* from 40 was a masterclass in pacing a chase as he rotated strike, punished the loose balls, and accelerated at the right moments. Hope hit six fours and two sixes during his innings, while Hetmyer added a brisk 24, and Moeen Ali gave the finishing touches to complete the chase with seven balls to spare.

Player of the Match

Shai Hope was adjudged the Player of the Match for anchoring the chase with a classy unbeaten 58* under pressure.

Scorecard