Providence [Guyana], September 26 (ANI): Guyana Amazon Warriors rounded off the league stage of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2022 with a comprehensive defeat of the Barbados Royals, who however topped the points table.

With the other match of the Jamaica Tallawahs and St Lucia abandoned because of inclement weather, the four qualifiers for the playoff at the end of 10 matches each are Barbados Royals (16 points), Guyana Amazon Warriors (11 points), St Lucia Kings (9 points) and Jamaica Tallawahs (9 points).

Interestingly, Barbados Royals and Guyana Amazon Warriors will clash in the first qualifier. The winner of the first qualifier will earn go straight into the CPL final. Jamaica Tallawahs and St Lucia will clash in the Eliminator.

The Amazon Warriors won the toss and opted to field first. It proved a fine decision as their seamers exploited the fresh surface and grabbed three wickets inside the PowerPlay to leave the Royals in disarray.

Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals and the Royals managed to muster only 125.

As Guyana Amazon Warriors used the movement on offer to their seamers Romario Shepherd, Keemo Paul and Odean Smith all weighed in with wickets to leave the Royals 97 for 9. Late cameos from Ramon Simmonds and Mujeeb Ur Rahman enabled Royals reach 125.

The target of 126 was never going to be easy to defend and Guyana went in to chase. The Royals were able to take two early wickets of their own when they had their turn to bowl restricting the Amazon Warriors to 18 for 2 but things got better for Guyana after that.

Although the Amazon Warriors lost Chandrapaul Hemraj and Shai Hope in the PowerPlay, Shakib played an enterprising innings to take the drama out of the chase. His knock of 53 came off 30 balls and laid the foundation for the Amazon Warriors to win with five overs to spare.

Brief scores: Barbados Royals: 125 all out in 17.3 overs (Jason Holder 42, Azam Khan 20, Romario Shepherd 3/14, Keemo Paul 2/9, Odean Smith 2/42) lost to Guyana Amazon Warriors: 126 for 5 in 14.3 overs (Shakib Al Hasan 53, Rahmanullah Gurbaz 22, Obed McCoy 2/22) by five wickets.

Man of the match: Shakib Al Hasan. (ANI)