Gudakesh Motie produced a match-winning spell as Guyana Amazon Warriors advanced to the CPL 2025 final with a victory over St Lucia Kings. This will be their third consecutive title clash, following a win in 2023 and a runner-up finish in 2024.
The Warriors reached 157 thanks to late blows from Dwaine Pretorius (17 off eight) and Romario Shepherd (21 off eight). Their 41 runs in the last four overs turned a shaky innings into a defendable total. The bowlers then backed it up with discipline, conceding only two extras and dismantling the Kings’ batting order.
Motie Sparks Collapse After Early Strikes
Chasing 158, St Lucia Kings lost their top order quickly. Pretorius removed Tim Seifert and Ackeem Auguste, while Shepherd dismissed Johnson Charles. At 37 for 3 after the powerplay, they were still in touch with Warriors’ 45 for 1 at the same stage.
Motie entered then and tilted the game. Roston Chase was bowled attempting a cross-batted heave. The next ball, Tim David completely misread the line and was dismissed for a golden duck. Imran Tahir piled on the pressure by knocking over Aaron Jones in the following over.
When skipper David Wiese holed out to long-off in Motie’s second over, the Kings slipped further. At 48 for 7, the game seemed over.
Pierre’s Counterattack Not Enough
Khary Pierre offered resistance with his maiden T20 half-century. Reduced to 85 for 8 in the 14th over, he and Tymal Mills hit boundaries to revive slim hopes. Pierre reached fifty in 28 balls, sparking belief on the St Lucia bench. “The hopes dipped when Pierre fell next ball,” but Mills kept swinging, taking 13 off Shepherd’s 19th over. Still, the Warriors stayed ahead and sealed victory.
Earlier, Pierre’s tight bowling in the powerplay slowed Guyana’s scoring. He conceded just 15 runs while McDermott and Sampson managed 29 from the other overs. Wiese dismissed McDermott to dent momentum further. Shai Hope anchored with 32 off 29, but the middle order faltered. When Moeen Ali fell, the Warriors were 107 for 6, before Pretorius and Shepherd rescued the innings.
The Kings, last year’s champions, must now regroup to face Trinbago Knight Riders in Qualifier 2. The winner will earn the final spot alongside Amazon Warriors.
Stay tuned for all the Cricket News, Match Predictions, Fantasy Tips, and Cricket updates!