In what was a rain-affected match reduced to 16 overs per side, Barbados Royals returned to winning ways with a strong performance against Guyana Amazon Warriors on Sunday. Their 29-run victory was enough to propel them to the playoffs of CPL 2022.
It wasn't the start the Royals would've wanted after being put in to bat first, losing three quick wickets inside the Powerplay. At 30/3 in the 6th over, the run rate slowed down as batters Kyle Mayers and Jason Holder went into rebuilding mode. Mayers soon departed at the 10-over mark, making way for Azam Khan who stitched a 24-run partnership with Jason in the middle order. But as soon as Azam fell in the 13th over, rain interrupted proceedings, leading to the reduction of four overs from the innings.
Magical Mujeeb
When play resumed, Mujeeb Ur Rahman unleashed his batting prowess, smashing three fours and 1 six in his 9-ball 19* alongside Jason, who played the perfect anchor to keep the innings together. His 40* came off 33 balls and the duo's 39-run unbeaten stand was critical to the team finishing with a challenging total on a sticky wicket where batting was becoming slightly difficult.
The Afghan spinner returned to deliver one of the most sensational bowling spells of his career. The Warriors' chase saw them scoring just 6 runs in the first 3 overs. Two of those overs were bowled by Mujeeb, where he gave away just two runs. By the end of the Powerplay, the Warriors were 27/2, with their openers back in the hut thanks to Rahkeem Cornwall and Hayden Walsh. Holder then chipped in with a wicket and Cornwall struck again to further dent the Warriors' innings. From thereon, their chase never really picked up as Obed McCoy and Ramon Simmonds dismantled the lower order too, to leave them reeling at 81/9 in 16 overs.