Trinbago Knight Riders vs Guyana Amazon Warriors, Match 27, Port-of-Spain: Preview, predictions, likely XIs

Trinbago Knight Riders will host Guyana Amazon Warriors for Match 27 of the 2019 CPL at Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of-Spain. Both teams have already made it to the Playoffs. However, while the Amazon Warriors – still unbeaten in the tournament – are guaranteed to play Qualifier 1, the Knight Riders need another win to be there.

– are guaranteed to play Qualifier 1, the Knight Riders need another win to be there.

Trinbago had matched Guyana win for win for their first four matches, of which they had won all. They then lost (in Super Over) to St Kitts and Nevis Patriots; the match against St Lucia Zouks was abandoned; and they lost to Barbados Tridents. They will want to end their losing streak here.

The Trinbago batsmen – Colin Munro, Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard – have all provided crucial onslaughts throughout the tournament. Sunil Narine‘s much-anticipated promotion to the top will come in handy as well, though the entire line-up will be tested severely by the best bowling attack of the tournament.

Unfortunately, their bowlers – barring Sunil Narine and Khary Pierre – have neither been able to pick up wickets nor stem the flow of runs.

Guyana have an excellent attack in Chris Green, Romario Shepherd, Ben Laughlin, Keemo Paul, and Qais Ahmed. When they lost a performing Shadab Khan, they replaced him with Imran Tahir, who has been phenomenal during his short stint. The all-rounders – Shoaib Malik, Chanderpaul Hemraj, Odean Smith – have supported them well.

And then there is the batting, which includes outrageous hitters like Nicholas Pooran, Sherfane Rutherford, and Brandon King, and a slightly out-of-form Shimron Hetmyer. Malik and Hemraj have provided stability, thereby making the Amazon Warriors the most formidable side in the tournament.

Head to head

Trinbago hold an advantage here, having won 10 matches and lost 6.

Key players

Sunil Narine (Trinbago Knight Riders): Easily Trinbago’s most successful bowler (6.65 an over), Narine has finally been promoted to the top to add even more firepower to a band of six-hitters. He may decide the match with bat or ball.

Imran Tahir (Guyana Amazon Warriors): Few bowlers could have done better than Tahir (economy 5.18, a wicket every 2 overs) after replacing a well-performing Shadab Khan. With a competent band of seamers to assist him, Tahir may run through the way he has often done.

Likely XIs

Trinbago Knight Riders: Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons, Colin Munro, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard (c), Jimmy Neesham, Seekkuge Prasanna, Khary Pierre, Anderson Philip, Ali Khan.

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

Prediction

Guyana to continue with their unbeaten run.