Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Jamaica Tallawahs, Match 29, Providence: Preview, predictions, likely XIs

How to beat Guyana Amazon Warriors? No franchise in the 2019 CPL has been able to figure that out across 8 matches. They had qualified for the Playoffs just after halfway through the tournament, and had ensured a berth in Qualifier 1 with 3 matches to spare. Things do not look good for Jamaica Tallawahs, set to finish last, as they prepare to take field at Providence Stadium, Guyana.

No team has reached 170 against Guyana in this edition of the CPL yet. Three of their specialist bowlers have gone for under 6.4 an over, one more under 7.5, and nobody over 10, while the likes of Shoaib Malik and Chanderpaul Hemraj have chipped in.

Seven members of the team have played all 8 matches, while two others have played 7. The count would have gone up if Shadab Khan did not leave midway for Pakistan duty. And when that happened, Imran Tahir showed up and did as good.

The same cannot be said of the Tallawahs. While Glenn Phillips (330 runs, strike rate 153) is the leading run-scorer of the tournament, Chris Gayle and Chadwick Walton are the only ones to have crossed the 100-run mark. And even there, 116 of Gayle’s 243 runs came in one innings, while Walton has struck at only 132.

While Dwayne Smith, Imran Khan, Ramaal Lewis, and Zahir Khan have all bowled decently, they have entered the fray too late. Too many bowlers have gone for over 9 an over for the Tallawahs to deliver consistently.

The Amazon Warriors will take field as outright favourites, more so because of their home advantage.

Head to head

History does not back the Tallawahs either: the Amazon Warriors have a 10-7 advantage here.

Key players

Shoaib Malik (Guyana Amazon Warriors): The Amazon Warriors captain has deployed himself as a finisher, and has finished unbeaten 5 times in 8 innings. He has not got his runs quickly, but that is somewhat due to the fact that they never had to chase a big target. His tournament figures – 8-0-44-3 – are a bonus.

Chris Gayle (Jamaica Tallawahs): Universe Boss, the greatest batsman in T20 history, loves to put up a show – and what stage can be grander than the last match of the home league? Providence are in for quite a few of those towering sixes.

Likely XIs

Guyana Amazon Warriors: Brandon King, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Shoaib Malik (c), Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Keemo Paul, Chris Green, Ben Laughlin, Imran Tahir.

Jamaica Tallawahs: Chris Gayle, Glenn Phillips (wk), Dwayne Smith, Liton Das, Chadwick Walton (c), Trevon Griffith, Ramaal Lewis, Shamar Springer, Imran Khan, Zahir Khan, Jerome Taylor.

Prediction

Guyana to make it 9 in 9.