Barbados Royals beat Guyana Amazon Warriors by 2 wickets in their final league match on Saturday to book their semi-final spot in the inaugural edition of The 6ixty. With 3 wins in 4 games and 26 sixes hit up until the league stage, the Royals have finished second on the points table.
Earlier in the day, Royals captain Kyle Mayers won the toss and elected to bowl first. Corbin Bosch continued his good form with the ball, striking in the second over. He was well supported by pacer Oshane Thomas, as the openers returned to the pavilion inside the first three overs. The Warriors’ middle order offered some resistance, with Heinrich Klaasen and captain Shimron Hetmyer forming a crucial partnership. But Ramon Simmonds returned to break the stand, and the Warriors ultimately finished with 108/6 in their 10 overs.
Chasing a steep target, the Royals got off to a strong start, thanks to their in-form opener, Rahkeem Cornwall. Batting at a strike rate of over 250, he scored a quickfire 21 in just 8 deliveries alongside a steady Mayers (30). By the end of the second over, the Royals had already scored 32 runs and looked well on course for a win. Corbin then turned up with the bat, continuing the momentum with his unbeaten 11-ball 26. His partnership with Mayers and some handy knocks down the order helped the Royals seal the chase in just 8.2 overs.
The Royals are now set to take on Trinbago Knight Riders in the second semi-final, while Jamaica Tallawahs will face St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the first semi-final.
This will be the second time both the Royals and Knight Riders face off in the tournament. The last time these two sides met, Corbin’s sensational knock powered the Royals to a dominating victory. The Royals will be aiming to continue their winning run heading into a do-or-die clash on Sunday.