Guyana Amazon Warriors, who had to wait 11 years for their first CPL crown, are now only one victory away from capturing consecutive championships.
With his unique celebrations and bowling style, Tahir, who is 45 years old, became the first foreign bowler reach 100 wickets in the CPL. He still has the league in his grasp. In the competitive world of franchise T20 cricket, he joined the Amazon Warriors in 2018 and has been a member of the team for seven seasons, which is quite unusual.
Midway through this season, Tahir sustained an injury, but he returned to establish a strong combo with Gudakesh Motie, the local left-arm fingerspinner, and Moeen Ali, the English offspinner. It has been difficult to escape the trio, particularly in Providence on the spin-friendly conditions.
Additionally, the Amazon Warriors feature a strong lineup of spin-hitters, including Moeen, Shai Hope, and Shimron Hetmyer. Hetmyer has demonstrated his T20 prowess to the world by hitting 391 runs in 12 innings at an average of 43.44 and a strike rate of 187.98 in this CPL leading up to the final, despite not participating in a single game in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
The Amazon Warriors have only dropped two of their four home games since the CPL 2023 season began—the first one against St Lucia Kings earlier this week. Under Faf du Plessis, who, like Tahir, is a frequent figure at the CPL, Kings have remained a strong force despite losing much and losing important players like Heinrich Klaasen even before the competition began.
Du Plessis is still going strong at forty. With 384 runs in 11 innings at an average of 38.40 and a strike rate of 148.83, this is his most productive CPL in terms of runs. Should it result in a title, it may boost his stock before the IPL retention deadline and player auction. A tennis elbow injury ended Du Plessis’s CPL 2023 career, but he overcame it this season by forming a strong partnership with Johnson Charles, who has become into a 360-degree hitter.
Daren Sammy, the coach of the Kings, has unresolved issues as well. Can he and du Plessis help Kings win their first CPL championship by upsetting Amazon Warriors at home?
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