Motie's Four-For Powers Amazon Warriors into Third Straight CPL Final
Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie continued his sensational form to help Guyana Amazon Warriors book a spot in their third consecutive CPL final, overcoming St Lucia Kings by 14 runs in a tense Qualifier 1 in Guyana.
Following up on his five-wicket haul in the previous game, Motie ripped through the Kings’ middle order with figures of 4 for 30, reducing them to 48 for 7 in their chase of 158. While Khary Pierre's maiden T20 fifty gave the Kings late hope, the damage was already done as Amazon Warriors secured a hard-fought win.
Motie Spins a Web
Introduced after the powerplay, Motie immediately turned the match on its head. With Kings at 37 for 3 and looking to rebuild, Motie dismissed Roston Chase with a delivery that bowled him through an attempted slog. He then sent Tim David back for a golden duck the very next ball.
Motie returned to remove Kings captain David Wiese in his second over, triggering a full-blown collapse. From 48 for 7, Kings looked out of the contest before Khary Pierre’s counterattack.
Pierre’s Late Resistance
With wickets tumbling, Khary Pierre stepped up with a brilliant counterattacking 50 off 28 balls, striking boundaries at regular intervals and injecting late drama into the match. He found support from Tymal Mills, who smashed 13 runs off Romario Shepherd’s final over to keep Kings in contention.
However, Pierre fell immediately after reaching his half-century, ending the resurgence. Mills fought till the end, but the Kings fell short, bowled out for 143, 14 runs shy of the target.
Amazon Warriors’ Lower Order Lifts Them to 157
Earlier, Guyana Amazon Warriors posted 157 all out, thanks largely to a fiery finish from Dwaine Pretorius (17 off 8) and Romario Shepherd (21 off 8). The duo added 41 runs in the final four overs to push the score to a competitive level.
Top scorer Ben McDermott made 34, while Shai Hope steadied the middle with 32 off 29. However, the innings stalled in the middle overs, with Khary Pierre applying pressure early with a tight spell. The Warriors lost quick wickets — including Moeen Ali for a duck — but late hitting ensured a fighting total.
Early Wickets Set the Tone
In their defence, Amazon Warriors came out firing. Pretorius removed Tim Seifert and Ackeem Auguste in quick succession, while Shepherd dismissed Johnson Charles, leaving Kings reeling at 9 for 3. Despite a small recovery in the powerplay, Motie’s introduction ensured there would be no sustained comeback.
What’s Next
With the win, Guyana Amazon Warriors have sealed a spot in the CPL 2025 final, looking to reclaim the title they won in 2023. St Lucia Kings, the defending champions, now face a do-or-die clash against Trinbago Knight Riders in Qualifier 2 on Friday for another shot at the final.
Match Summary
Guyana Amazon Warriors: 157 all out in 20 overs (McDermott 34, Hope 32; Shamsi 3-33, Wiese 2-14)
St Lucia Kings: 143 all out in 19.3 overs (Pierre 50, Mills 30; Motie 4-30, Tahir 2-22, Pretorius 2-24)
Result: Guyana Amazon Warriors won by 14 runs
Player of the Match: Gudakesh Motie
Guyana's march to a third straight final highlights their growing dominance in CPL, with Motie emerging as one of the tournament’s standout performers.