The Guyana Amazon Warriors suffered a heavy 65-run defeat against the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons after collapsing for 117 in their Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League encounter at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, last night.
Chasing 183 for victory, the Warriors were dismissed in just 14.2 overs after the Falcons posted a competitive 182 for five from their allotted 20 overs.
Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph led the demolition with four wickets for 41 runs, while Shadab Khan followed his explosive unbeaten 30 with two for 19 to earn the Player-of-the-Match award.
The Warriors began their chase aggressively, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz hitting three sixes in an eight-ball 18. However, Joseph bowled Gurbaz and then removed Shai Hope for a three-ball duck to leave the hosts on 34 for two.
Mavindra Dindyal struck two fours and two sixes in a brisk 25 from 13 deliveries, but he also fell to Joseph with the score on 54.
Shimron Hetmyer made only four before being dismissed by Joshua James, while Quentin Sampson briefly counterattacked with 12 from seven balls. Romario Shepherd added six from three deliveries, but wickets continued to fall regularly as the Warriors slipped to 99 for eight.
Mohammad Nabi tried to hold the innings together with 23 from 22 balls. He shared an 18-run ninth-wicket stand with Imran Tahir, who made eight, but the contest was already beyond the Warriors.
When Tahir became the ninth batter dismissed at 117 in the 14th over, sections of the home crowd began leaving the stadium. Nabi was trapped leg-before by James three balls later without another run being added.
James finished with two wickets for 11 runs, while Sufiyan Moqim claimed two for 18. Shadab also removed Sampson and Dwaine Pretorius during the collapse.
Earlier, the Warriors won the toss and elected to field. The Falcons got a steady start from Karima Gore and Evin Lewis, who added 31 for the first wicket.
Gore scored 23 from 18 balls before falling to Khary Pierre, while Lewis made 22 from 18 before Imran Tahir trapped him leg-before.
Amir Jangoo and Hassan Nawaz then added 47 for the third wicket, carrying the Falcons from 55 for two to 102 for three. Jangoo made 27 from 30 balls, while Nawaz top-scored with 36 from 27 deliveries, including three fours and two sixes.
Moeen Ali contributed 18 from 12 balls before Shepherd dismissed him at 136 for five in the 18th over.
Shadab then transformed the innings with an unbeaten nine-ball 30, blasting two fours and three sixes. Fabian Allen supported him with 11 not out from seven deliveries as the pair added an unbroken 46 runs from the final 13 balls.
Tahir was the most economical Warriors bowler, taking one for 21 from four overs, while Nabi collected one for 23. Pierre, Shepherd and Shamar Joseph also claimed one wicket each.
The Warriors will now look to regroup ahead of their clash against the St Lucia Kings tonight at the same venue.
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