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Trinbago Knight Riders secured their spot in the final of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2023 with a convincing seven-wicket win over Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Qualifier 1. This clash was highly anticipated, with the Warriors topping the points table in the group stage, accumulating 17 points from 10 games. In contrast, The Riders finished second in the group stage with six wins and 13 points.
Saim Ayub’s valuable contribution for Warriors
In the Qualifier 1, the Warriors were put into bat and had a promising start with opener Saim Ayub playing a pivotal role by scoring 49 runs off 39 deliveries. However, top-order batters Odean Smith (15) and Shai Hope (2) couldn’t provide much support. Ayub’s excellent batting performance was instrumental in setting a competitive target for TKR.
Azam Khan’s impactful batting and crucial partnership
Azam Khan played a significant role in guiding his team to a competitive total. Batting at number four, Khan showcased his talent with the bat, contributing a valuable 36-run knock off 27 balls.
Khan’s innings provided crucial support to opener Ayub, who was in fine form during the game. The duo formed a pivotal partnership that added quickfire runs to the team’s total. Together, they managed to accumulate 28 runs in a short span, taking the Warriors to a score of 90/2.
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Waqar Salamkheil’s magical delivery
Nevertheless, Afghanistan‘s Waqar Salamkheil had some other plans as in the last delivery of the 13th over, he bowled a beautifully-disguised googly that landed perfectly on a length outside off. Ayub failed to pick it up, searching for it in front of his pad. This created a massive gap, and the ball sneaked through, crashing into the stumps, sending the zing bails flying. This breakthrough slowed down Warrior’s fast-scoring rate and proved to be pivotal for the Riders.
Here’s the video:
An absolute gem from Waqar!! He denies Ayub of a half-century for the @BetBarteronline Magic Moment 💥#CPL23 #GAWvTKR #CricketPlayedLouder #BiggestPartyInSport pic.twitter.com/yi1ccLmZwp
— CPL T20 (@CPL) September 21, 2023
Late flourish by Motie and Shepherd lifts Warrior’s total
With the team’s top-order batters failing to capitalize on their starts, the Warriors found themselves in a position where they needed a late surge to post a competitive total. At that juncture, Gudakesh Motie and Romario Shepherd stepped up to the plate.
Motie played a blistering cameo, scoring an unbeaten 19 runs off just 8 deliveries. omario Shepherd also played a pivotal role, contributing 16 runs off 6 balls. This absolute clean hitting from both Motie and Shepherd propelled the Warriors to a respectable 166/7 in their allotted 20 overs.
Chadwick Walton’s heroic batting for the Riders
In their pursuit of 167, Riders’ opener Chadwick Walton played a stellar innings, remaining unbeaten on 80 runs off 57 deliveries. He struck six fours and four sixes, leading the way for TKR. Walton received solid support from Nicholas Pooran (33) and Kieron Pollard (23) in the middle overs, allowing the Riders to comfortably chase down the target with 11 balls to spare and seven wickets in hand.
Warriors set to face Jamaica Tallawahs in Qualifier 2
Following their loss in the Qualifier 1, The Warriors are set to face the winner of the eliminator, Jamaica Tallawahs, in the Qualifier 2 on September 22. This match promises to be another exciting clash in the CPL 2023 playoffs as the teams compete for a spot in the final.
