The 2026 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) saw the Guyana Amazon Warriors extend their flawless opening run on August 20, clinching a comfortable seven-wicket victory over hosts Saint Lucia Kings at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground. Intermittent rain disrupted play four times throughout the fixture, with three delays coming during the Saint Lucia innings, draining any momentum the home side was able to build and shifting the tactical advantage firmly to the visiting Warriors.
Warriors captain Imran Tahir won the toss and opted to put the Kings in to bat first. In a rain-interrupted PowerPlay, Andries Gous, playing his final match of the tournament, and Kamil Pooran, making his return from injury, got the home side off to a solid start, pushing Saint Lucia past the 50-run mark inside the first six overs. In the second phase of the innings, Tahir turned to his own spin and that of Mohammad Nabi to slow the scoring rate, and the Warriors’ bowling unit quickly put the squeeze on the Kings’ batting line-up. Most Saint Lucia batters failed to progress past the teens, with top-order batter Charith Asalanka the only exception, crafting a vital 35 runs to anchor the innings.
A late flurry from pace bowler Matthew Forde offered some late attacking threat for the Kings, but he was dismissed by Shamar Joseph, mishitting a pull into the cross wind that landed safely in the hands of Glenn Phillips. Saint Lucia never managed to break free of the bowling pressure: the highest number of runs they took from any single over was just 13, leaving them with a modest total to defend. For the Warriors, Dwaine Pretorius delivered the standout bowling performance, claiming 3 wickets for just 29 runs. Joseph capped off the Kings innings perfectly, conceding only 7 runs in the final over to finish with figures of 2 for 25. All seven of the Warriors’ wickets came from well-executed catches, highlighting the side’s sharp clinical fielding.
Chasing the low total, openers Glenn Phillips and Mavendra Dindyal did not rush to attack from the outset, instead building a solid foundation by adapting to the tricky ground conditions. The pair put on a 79-run opening stand, and the Kings bowlers were unable to generate enough pressure to break the stand early. The first wicket fell only after 10 and a half overs, when Phillips was caught by Forde, one delivery after being dropped by Amari Goodridge.
Missed chances in the field proved to be a decisive gap between the two sides, with the Kings failing to convert multiple opportunities to derail the Warriors’ chase. Roston Chase and Joshua Bishop did briefly reignite the home side’s hopes in the final five overs of the match, but that hope was quickly snuffed out by Guyana’s Shimron Hetmyer and Quentin Sampson. The pair put on an unbroken blitz, blasting 35 runs from just 10 deliveries to seal the victory in dramatic fashion and keep the Warriors’ unbeaten tournament record intact.