The 2026 ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) T20 group stage wrapped up Wednesday night at Providence’s Guyana National Stadium with a dramatic upset, as Perth Scorchers sent the undefeated reigning champions Guyana Amazon Warriors to their first loss of the tournament with a thrilling 14-run victory.
Invited to bat first by the home side, the Scorchers got off to a disastrous start, with their batting line-up quickly dismantled by Guyana’s spin and pace attack. Veteran off-spinner Mohammad Nabi led the defensive effort, claiming three wickets for just 12 runs across four tight overs, while seamer Matthew Forde matched his performance with three wickets for 21 runs off three overs, leaving the Australian side teetering at 78 wickets down for 8 by the middle of their innings.
It was lower-order resilience that saved the Scorchers from a total collapse. Brody Couch and Dian Forrester forged a critical 54-run ninth-wicket partnership that dragged the side to a competitive total. Couch led the charge with an aggressive 43 off 30 balls, featuring three sixes and four boundaries, while Forrester held firm as the anchor, finishing unbeaten on 35 from 34 deliveries. The Scorchers closed out their 20 overs all out for 135, a total that many viewed as gettable for the in-form Warriors.
The Warriors, who had already secured their spot in Saturday’s final off the back of three consecutive wins that put them atop the five-team table with six points, got off to a blistering start. Openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Quentin Sampson piled on 47 runs in just 21 balls, with Gurbaz smashing a quick 42 off 16 deliveries that included five sixes and two fours before he was caught out by Andre Fletcher off Forrester’s bowling.
The momentum shifted rapidly after the opening stand. Sampson fell for three just three balls later, and Johnson Charles was bowled by Ashton Turner for 11 soon after. The Warriors’ batting order collapsed in quick succession, with Nabi (5), Gudakesh Motie (4), and power hitter Romario Shepherd (7) all back in the pavilion within 10 overs. It fell to Shimron Hetmyer to stage a late comeback, but his fighting innings of 31 ended when he was bowled by Ashton Agar with 14 runs still needed from 24 balls. Hetmyer was the last man out, leaving the Warriors all out for 121 in 16.1 overs.
For the Scorchers, skipper Ashton Turner was the stand-out bowler, finishing with figures of 3 wickets for 20 runs. Agar took two wickets for 29 runs, while Sufyan Moqim claimed two key wickets for just 18 runs to seal the victory.
The defeat ends Guyana Amazon Warriors’ perfect run in the 2026 GSL, but the side already remains firmly on track for the title defense, having already qualified for the final. They will now await the winner of Friday’s elimination qualifier between the San Francisco Unicorns and Desert Vipers, which is scheduled to kick off at 7pm local time the same as Saturday’s championship match.