The St. Lucia Kings claimed their maiden (Caribbean Premier League) CPL title in a gripping final against the Guyana Amazon Warriors, held under challenging conditions at the Providence National Stadium. Despite frequent lightning and gloomy skies, the Kings fought their way to an eight-wicket victory, silencing a packed stadium that had been rooting for the home team.
The Amazon Warriors, sent in to bat after losing the toss, struggled from the outset. Rahmanullah Gurbaz fell for a duck in just two balls, setting the tone for a slow start that saw the Warriors manage only three runs in the first two overs. Shai Hope and Moen Ali battled through the powerplay, but their combined efforts could only muster 27 runs.
Khary Pierre, Alzarri Joseph, and Matthew Forde maintained relentless pressure on the batsmen, restricting any momentum.Hope’s innings came to a premature end when he was bowled by Roston Chase for 22, and Ali followed soon after with a half-hearted pull that landed him in the hands of Johnson Charles off Noor Ahmad.
The Warriors found themselves at 45/3 by the ninth over, and despite efforts to consolidate through Hetmyer and Keemo Paul, their innings limped to 138/8 after 20 overs.
Romario Shepherd and Dwaine Pretorius added crucial runs in the final overs, with Pretorius smashing 25 from 12 balls and Shepherd remaining unbeaten on 19.In reply, the Kings faced a stiff challenge, especially after losing both Charles and captain Faf du Plessis early. Charles was bowled by Shepherd for seven, while du Plessis fell for a run-a-ball 21. With the Kings teetering at 50 for four, Aaron Jones and Roston Chase took charge.
Jones, who initially struggled with his timing, found his rhythm and, alongside the dependable Chase, unleashed a barrage of boundaries that shifted the momentum of the match.The turning point came when Jones and Chase took 27 runs off an over from Moen Ali and followed it up with another assault on Pretorius, taking 20 runs off his bowling. Jones ended unbeaten on 48, while Chase remained not out on 39, steering the Kings to victory with 11 balls to spare.
The final run was secured in an anti-climactic fashion, with Warriors captain Imran Tahir delivering a wide ball.For the Warriors, it was a disappointing finish after a promising campaign. Their top-order batsmen, including Hope and Hetmyer, were unable to deliver under pressure, while their boundary count was the lowest of the season.
Despite the late heroics of Shepherd and Pretorius, the Warriors’ total proved insufficient against a resurgent Kings side.St. Lucia Kings’ victory marked a historic moment for the team, as they lifted the CPL trophy for the first time, shattering the hopes of the Guyanese fans who had packed the stadium in support of their team.
