After 11 Consecutive Wins, Guyana Amazon Warriors Lose CPL Final To Barbados Tridents

Guyana Amazon Warriors were the team to beat in the Caribbean Premier League 2019. They had won 11 consecutive games and had defeated Barbados Tridents twice heading into the final. The Tridents, led by Jason Holder, were on the brink of elimination in the league stages but they staged a remarkable comeback. On the big day, Guyana Amazon Warriors stumbled. Barbados Tridents were boosted by a 27-ball blitz from Jonathan Carter and Raymond Reifer's four-wicket haul gave Barbados Tridents the 2019 Caribbean Premier League title with a 27-run win. This was Barbados Tridents' second title while for the Guyana Amazon Warriors, it was their fifth loss in the final in seven editions.

Barbados Tridents chose to bat at the Brian Lara stadium in Tarouba and they started off in style with Alex Hales and Johnson Charles starting aggressively. However, Hales was sent back by Romario Shepherd and Philip Salt was sent back by Ben Laughlin. In the middle overs, Guyana Amazon Warriors' discipline shown through as Shakib Al Hasan, Holder, Charles and Shai Hope all fell cheaply. At 108/6 in the 15th over, it seemed the Tridents would end with a below-par score.

However, Carter had other ideas. He smoked two boundaries off Imran Tahir but in the 19th over bowled by Keemo Paul, Carter blasted two sixes and a four as 17 runs came in the over. Ashley Nurse joined in the fun by smashing Shepherd for a four and a six while Carter notched up his fifty off just 26 balls as Barbados Tridents smashed 61 runs in the last five overs to reach 171/6.

In response, Brandon King started aggressively but Reifer got the big wickets of Chanderpaul Hemraj and Shimron Hetmyer, the two big guns in the Guyana Amazon Warriors batting line-up. Hayden Walsh got the wicket of skipper Shoaib Malik. When Nurse got the wickets of King and Nicholas Pooran, Guyana Amazon Warriors fell behind. Keemo Paul smashed two sixes but it was all in vain as Reifer returned to take two wickets and increase his tally to 4/24 to help the Barbados Tridents win by 27 runs.

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Following the win, there was jubilation in Holder's team. Speaking during the post-match presentation, Holder said belief drove them to success. "We had belief. The coaching staff has been outstanding. I couldn't ask for anything else from my guys. Johnathan was outstanding. I see Simmons as a father, he has been great for the team. The team is exceptional. Credit to everyone. It is hard to single out people," Holder said. 

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