da bet7： Both teams have a potent spin attack, with Tahir, Moeen and Motie in Amazon Warriors, and Narine, Tariq and Hosein in TKR
da wazamba： Deivarayan Muthu20-Sep-2025Big picture: A battle of two spin attacksGuyana Amazon Warriors vs Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR). Another chapter will be added to the CPL’s fiercest rivalry when the two teams face each other at Providence in Sunday’s final.Former Amazon Warrior Nicholas Pooran is in his first season as TKR captain, leading their push for the title, with 425 runs in 12 innings. He has been peaking at the crunch, with scores of 90* and 50 in the Eliminator and Qualifier 2, respectively.Amazon Warriors and TKR have met in two finals previously. In 2018, in Tarouba, under Dwayne Bravo’s captaincy, TKR had outplayed Amazon Warriors, with Bravo later coming out and suggesting a video of Guyanese fans trampling on a Trinidad & Tobago flag was extra motivation for TKR to beat Amazon Warriors.Five years later, Amazon Warriors demolished TKR at Providence under Imran Tahir to win their maiden title. Bravo is no longer an active player; he has taken over as TKR’s head coach, while Tahir, 46, continues to light up the CPL with his variations and celebrations. Tahir has formed a potent spin combination with Moeen Ali and Gudakesh Motie, the supremely talented left-arm fingerspinner who can also bowl left-arm wristspin to left-hand batters. Having also won the Global Super League (GSL) earlier this year, Amazon Warriors will be hungry to add another title to their cabinet this year.TKR also have a deadly spin attack, with Pakistani mystery spinner Usman Tariq providing a point of difference to their bowling. Sunil Narine and his protege Akeal Hosein need no introduction to the region. The battle between the two spin attacks could have a big influence on the result.While TKR face a quick turnaround on Sunday, having just played Qualifier 2 on Friday, Amazon Warriors head into the final on the back of a three-day break.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Form guideGuyana Amazon Warriors: WWWLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Trinbago Knight Riders: WWLLLIn the spotlight: Shai Hope and Usman TariqOnce regarded as a Test and an ODI batter, Shai Hope has reinvented his T20 batting, earning gigs in T20 leagues around the world – including the IPL and the BBL. While the top order has been hit-or-miss for Amazon Warriors, Hope has been a stable presence at No. 3, topping the run charts this season with 479 runs in 11 innings at an average of over 50 and strike rate of over 130. While his immediate challenge will be to counter TKR’s spin trio, his form also bodes well for West Indies in the long term as they tune up for next year’s T20 World Cup.It’s not often that a spinner outshines Narine, but Usman Tariq managed to do that in both the Eliminator, against Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, and Qualifier 2 against St Lucia Kings. Tariq, who is predominantly an offspinner, comes to a near-complete halt as he approaches his delivery stride, which has made it particularly difficult for batters to pick him. With a few variations in his repertoire, he has also fronted up to bowl at the death for TKR in what is his first T20 stint outside of the PSL.Team news: Amir, Shamar Joseph injuredThere is no reason for Amazon Warriors to tweak their XI, unless Shamar Joseph is fit and ready. If that’s the case, he might replace Hassan Khan. Dwaine Pretorius is also nursing a niggle, but Amazon Warriors head coach Lance Klusener expects him to be “fine” for the final.Guyana Amazon Warriors (probable): 1 Ben McDermott, 2 Quentin Sampson, 3 Shai Hope (wk), 4 Shamarh Brooks, 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Romario Shepherd, 8 Dwaine Pretorius, 9 Hassan Khan/Shamar Joseph 10 Gudakesh Motie, 11 Imran Tahir (capt)Usman Tariq has been terrific with the ball in his maiden CPL season•CPL T20 via Getty Images
Ahead of the playoffs, Pooran suggested that Mohammad Amir is still injured and is facing a race against time to regain fitness for the knockouts. The Pakistani left-arm quick has not played since September 1, so if he remains unavailable, expect USA’s Saurabh Netravalkar to get another game as Amir’s like-for-like replacement.Trinbago Knight Riders (probable): 1 Alex Hales, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Nicholas Pooran (capt & wk), 4 Keacy Carty, 5 Darren Bravo, 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Akeal Hosein, 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Saurabh Netravalkar, 11 Usman TariqPitch and conditionsSpin to win has been the theme at Providence, and it could well continue on Sunday. Some showers have been forecast for Sunday morning, but the weather is likely to be fine for the evening at Providence.Stats and trivia: TKR eye fifth title Amazon Warriors have faced the Trinidad franchise 14 times at Providence, winning ten, including a one-over eliminator in 2014, and losing four. The highlight of that Super Over was a maiden bowled by Narine, who was playing for Amazon Warriors at the time, to Ross Taylor and a young Pooran, who was playing for Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel then. Earlier this week, Narine (133) surpassed Bravo (129) to become the top wicket-taker in CPL history. Tahir is one strike away from 150 wickets for Amazon Warriors in all T20s. Twenty of those have come in this CPL at an average of 15.60 and economy rate of 7.09. The T&T franchise is the winningest CPL team, with four titles in their kitty so far. They last won a title in 2020, when they enjoyed an unbeaten run.Quotes”Look, it’s a great feeling to be in the final in front of our home crowd. Playing in Guyana is something very special. We have been up and down this season, but always a good feeling, and to be a champion, we need to be very hungry.”
“It’s really important to come together in a tournament like this, especially with the type of players we have in our team. The last couple of years has been challenging for us, and especially here in Guyana, it hasn’t been on our side. But this group has been really amazing.
