Imran Tahir, the captain of the Guyana Amazon Warriors, expressed his gratitude towards Ravichandran Ashwin for his support as they clinched their first-ever Caribbean Premier League (CPL) trophy.
Tahir took over the captaincy from Shimron Hetmyer at the beginning of the season, and while many had jestingly messaged him about his new role, Ashwin’s words of encouragement proved to be a motivating force.
In the final showdown, the Amazon Warriors displayed their prowess by dismissing the Trinbago Knight Riders for a mere 94 runs. They then chased down the target in just 14 overs with nine wickets in hand, securing their maiden CPL title.
At 44 years old, Tahir also etched his name in history as one of the oldest players to lead a team to victory in a recognized T20 league.
“Everyone was messaging and making jokes about me becoming the captain. I want to thank those folks because that was the inspiration I needed. Many thanks to Prasanna, our analyzer. He put in about 20 hours a day to provide us with plans. I also like to thank R Ashwin. He promised that our squad would succeed before the competition,” Tahir said.
The standout performance with the ball came from Dwaine Pretorius, who secured four crucial wickets for the Amazon Warriors. Imran Tahir also made his presence felt by taking the vital wickets of Andre Russell and DJ Bravo, finishing his spell with figures of 2/8.
Saim Ayub’s composed knock of 52 off 41 balls and Shai Hope’s contribution of 32 off 32 balls sealed the victory in the second innings, marking a memorable triumph for the Guyana Amazon Warriors.