CPL 2024 Qualifier 1: Saint Lucia Kings Storm Into Final Beating GAW

In a game postponed due to bad weather at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence, the Saint Lucia Kings secured their spot in the 2024 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Final with a 15-run victory over the defending champion Guyana Amazon Warriors. 

The Barbados Royals will now play the Warriors on Friday, and the victor will play the Kings in the championship game on Sunday. Given the prediction, winning the toss and choosing to bat first proved to be a smart move, and Faf du Plessis once again led from the front for his team. He and Johnson Charles shared an opening partnership of 124 runs, which made sure the Kings amassed a formidable 198/5 off their twenty overs. 

Saint Lucia Kings into CPL 2024 Finals:

When Keemo Paul superbly collected Charles on the long boundary off the bowling of Moeen Ali for 79 from 45 deliveries, he was beginning to look at a three-figure score. Rahmanullah Gurbaz produced an amazing catch off a well-hit shot by Shamar Joseph that went down the ground, forcing Du Plessis to fall for a well-struck half-century of his own. 

With Moeen Ali once again being the main performer with the ball with figures of 2/24 off his four overs demonstrating all his experience, the Warriors bowlers performed well to keep the score down to a manageable goal. The umpires removed the players from the field after the Warriors reached 106/4 at the conclusion of the 13th over due to the steady drizzle turning into heavier rain. Regretfully, when the match was cancelled more than an hour later, it did not give up, meaning that the 2023 CPL winners were behind the necessary run rate on DLS computations.

With a well-positioned Shimron Hetmyer looking dangerous with 37 off 18 balls and Moeen Ali having just joined him, the Warriors would have still fancied their chances of reaching the target even with the rain interfering. They needed 92 runs off the final 42 deliveries. 

Hetmyer had just opened up to smash four sixes off Noor Ahmad and Roston Chase in short succession, but the Warriors were still well below the needed DLS total of 121 when the rain made a decisive appearance. 

If the Warriors defeat the Barbados Royals in Friday night's final elimination game, they will have an opportunity to set up a rematch. In the Sunday final, Saint Lucia Kings will be waiting for whichever team is hoping to win the first-ever CPL championship.

Watch this space for more CPL 2024 news.