Barbados Royals are all set to take on Guyana Amazon Warriors for a second time this Caribbean Premier League 2024 season at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on Wednesday.
The Royals are currently sitting third in the CPL 2024 standings, one behind the Warriors. Both of them have 10 points each and have already qualified for the playoffs.
In the previous encounter between the two teams, the Royals registered a win by 32 runs. Quinton de Kock scored a fantastic century, while Keshav Maharaj finished with figures of 3/42. However, the Royals will enter the fixture on the back of consecutive losses against table-toppers Saint Lucia Kings.
The batting department hasn’t been at their best in the last two matches, but the Royals have enough quality to turn the tides. Both de Kock and Kadeem Alleyne have been in form. Rahkeem Cornwall, though, is yet to perform with the bat. The middle order hasn't quite fired yet, with the top order sharing a majority of the scoring workload. The onus will be on Alick Athanaze, Rovman Powell and David Miller to deliver.
The Royals’ bowling unit has been one of the strongest this CPL 2024 but hasn't been their usual self in the last two matches. Guyana has a spinning wicket, and that is where Maheesh Theekshana, Keshav Maharaj and Nyeem Young come into the picture. They need to be really on point if they want to restrict the Warriors to a decent total. Pacers Obed McCoy and Jason Holder have been amongst the wickets but on the expensive side. That’s something they need to handle on Wednesday.
When it comes to head-to-head records, Guyana have been the more dominant side. The two teams have met 25 times in the CPL, with Barbados winning on nine occasions. Whoever wins solidifies their position in the top two of the points table, which is critical for the playoffs.
OPPONENT WATCH
Defending champions Guyana enter the fixture on the back of two consecutive wins which guaranteed them a playoff spot. In both the matches, they bowled out their opponents for under 110 and will take huge confidence from that.
Gudakesh Motie, Dwaine Pretorius and Imran Tahir have cumulatively taken 31 wickets this season. The spin strength in the team is optimum, something that will be useful in Guyana. The spin trio of Motie, Tahir and Moeen Ali will spearhead the attack, with Shamar Joseph and Pretorius assisting them in the pace department.
When it comes to the batting attack, Shimron Hetmyer is the Warriors' top scorer with 229 runs and a fantastic strike rate of 194.06. Shai Hope, Romario Shepherd and Moeen Ali have also been solid. They need to forge a steady partnership if they want to dominate the Royals' bowlers.
MATCH DETAILS
CPL 2024, Match 27: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Barbados Royals
Venue: Providence Stadium, Guyana
Date & Time: September 25, 7:00 PM local time | 4:30 AM IST (September 26)
Where to watch: Star Sports Network and FanCode
ROYALS TO WATCH
Keshav Maharaj: The 34-year-old South African has had a good tournament so far, taking seven wickets from five matches. His best figures was against the Warriors in their last fixture, where he took three wickets. That will give him an edge on Wednesday on a track which is expected to favour the spinners.
Kadeem Alleyne: The 23-year-old Barbadian has been a solid support to de Kock up the order. Whenever he has opened, he has put quick runs on the board. He was able to navigate a tricky Guyana wicket in the last match against the Kings. He scored 47 off 25 and would aim to better it against the Warriors.
FULL SQUADS
Barbados Royals: Rovman Powell (captain), David Miller, Keshav Maharaj, Alick Athanaze, Shamarh Brooks, Jason Holder, Nathan Sealy, Rahkeem Cornwall, Quinton de Kock, Rivaldo Clarke, Dunith Wellalage, Isai Thorne, Kadeem Alleyne, Maheesh Theekshana, Naveen-ul-Haq, Nyeem Young, Obed McCoy, Ramon Simmonds, Kevin Wickham,
Guyana Amazon Warriors: Imran Tahir (captain), Romario Shepherd, Shimron Hetmyer, Ronaldo Ali Mohamed, Raymon Reifer, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Shamar Joseph, Saim Ayub, Kevlon Anderson, Azam Khan, Junior Sinclair, Dwaine Pretorius, Matthew Nandu, Gudakesh Motie, Kevin Sinclair, Shai Hope, Keemo Paul