Nabi four-for and Hope 56* give Amazon Warriors winning start
Jamaica Kingsmen, who could only put up 117 after being asked to bat first, have now lost all their three CPL 2026 matches
Jamaica Kingsmen, who could only put up 117 after being asked to bat first, have now lost all their three CPL 2026 matches
Scorer: Chetan Kumar | Commentator: Rashad Mahbub
Well, folks, that wraps up today's CPL coverage. This is Rashad Mahbub signing off on behalf of our scorer Chetan Kumar and the rest of the Cricinfo team. Until next time, goodbye!
Imran Tahir: "[Start off with a win] Yeah, look, it means everything. We work hard to be where we are today. Getting a good start in our first game means a lot. We worked really hard the whole week we've been training, and we don't want to take things for granted - that's what we showed today. I'm really happy we got off to a good start. [Assess the conditions] There was a little bit in it, though I wouldn't say it was a bad pitch. It was a decent surface where you could get 170 or 180. But I think I have to give credit to our bowlers - especially Nabi, with the way he bowled. He's an experienced guy. We knew our plans before we came out regarding where we needed to bowl, and once you get out there and bowl a couple of deliveries, you need to adjust to the conditions quickly. That's what we did really well. [Adapting in live games] It changes. What you watch on the screen is not going to be the same out in the middle. Every day is a new day, and you have to take a professional approach when you go out there without making excuses. I think this surface was a little bit slower than the other day. We were also thinking about the dew, which didn't really arrive. But we were looking to bowl stump-to-stump, and whenever we went a little wide, that's where one or two boundaries came. We knew what we needed to do and stuck to our plan. [What do you enjoy the most when leading this side?] Look, it's a responsibility I've been given, and I take it as an honor. Whenever I play a game for Guyana, I treat it like my first and my last. There are many Guyanese players who want to be here, so if I'm representing everyone, I need to take full responsibility as a captain and as a bowler to benefit the team. But I also want to thank my teammates for their hard work and the way they prepare coming into this competition and in previous years - there is no fault in that. We're really happy to have a good start, but we'll make sure we carry on with the same approach we've used over the years, and Inshallah, it goes well this year as well."
Rovman Powell: "[Psyche of the team] I think this is where captains and a good coaching staff come into play. We have to find ways of instilling confidence within the boys. But having said that, as players, we still need to put together a complete game. [What went wrong tonight?] I think it was just disappointing batting. But having said that, you have to give credit to the Guyana bowlers - they found their lines and lengths pretty early. As a batting group, whenever we got out, they were pretty soft dismissals. Whenever we built a partnership, we didn't stretch it far enough. [Discussion in the dressing room] Just to keep their heads up. Nobody is going to come from the outside and lift our heads up for us. It's a great opportunity playing in a good competition. Cricket hasn't been played here for a while, so some of the local talent has dwindled down a bit and the guys need a little work. Tomorrow we'll spend some time together as a whole group instead of in little subgroups, and hopefully that brings us a bit closer as a team. [Message to the crowd] Just be patient with us. If you know cricket, you can see that it's a young team and guys need help at this level. Not a lot of them have much experience playing in the CPL or in these conditions. Just be patient with us and keep coming out. Trinidad is a very good team, so we'll need your support rallying around us. I'm sure we'll turn it around at some point."
Shadow-Shell: "Kingsmen taking their sweet time to get off the mark. Just like they did in PSL"
Player of the Match, Mohammad Nabi: "[Bowling tactics] We had three practice sessions there and planned to bowl from that side using the bigger boundary and the wind. The plan was to target the leg side and bowl mostly top-spin because, with the angle, it looks like it's going to midwicket, but the bounce makes it tough to hit. [Negative matchups in modern cricket] I don't know, I think it's a negative mindset from most coaches or something like that. It depends on the situation, the pitch conditions, and the size of the ground. If a bowler is clever, uses the conditions well, and hits the right areas, it's going to be tough to hit - it doesn't matter who you're bowling to. With the new ball, it skidded a bit, but after 10 overs, it started to hold up. As the ball got a little rougher, it turned and bounced a bit more. That's why we focused on bowling a tight length to get wickets and put them under pressure."
10:05 pm The Guyana Amazon Warriors have officially arrived at CPL 2026, kicking off their campaign with an emphatic victory! It proved to be a relatively comfortable chase for the Warriors in the end, leaving the Kingsmen still searching for their first win after three games. The Kingsmen did strike early when Blades removed Dindyal for a golden duck on his CPL debut in the very first over. However, Phillips counterpunched with a flurry of boundaries before Russell removed him for a quickfire 28 off 17. Russell struck again in that same over to dismiss Hetmyer cheaply, leaving Guyana at 45 for 3 at the end of the powerplay. Shai Hope and Nabi then steadied the ship with a sensible 51-run partnership, then Nabi was caught at long on attempting to clear the rope. Hope anchored the rest of the chase superbly, bringing up a high-quality fifty off 40 balls. He remained unbeaten on 56 to ensure his side got their season off to a flying start.
Guyana Amazon Warriors won by 6 wickets
Hassan Khan to bowl out. 6 runs needed off 36 balls.
Jamaica Kingsmen, who could only put up 117 after being asked to bat first, have now lost all their three CPL 2026 matches