Having won their first title in 2023, and now being set to compete in the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) final, the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) are one hurdle away from securing back-to-back titles.
This feat has been achieved only once in the CPL’s storied 12-year history, with the Trinbago Knight Riders winning the championship in 2017 and 2018.
Quizzed on the likelihood of making the achievement tomorrow evening, Warriors’ Captain Imran Tahir said he would like to make history.
“To me personally and the team, it’s a dream imagined 2 years ago. If someone said to me yes, the next year you’re going to be in the final, I’ll take it any day. For us, to be honest with you, this is everything. When we got together and left our families, we joined the new family, which is Guyana Amazon Warriors. So, it means everything to us, we sleep in it, we wake up with that, we’re very close to it. There is one step, we have to obviously cross that. We have believed we can come back on Sunday and play the cricket they want from us. If we get over the line, I’d like to create history,” the Amazon Warriors skipper told local media operatives.
The Amazon Warriors captain was at the time reacting to his team’s 8-wicket win over the Barbados Royals in Qualifier 2, sharing his thoughts on their ability to rebound from a loss a few nights prior.
“Yeah, look, with a performance like that, any captain would be satisfied with that; and I’m really proud of the boys, the way we came and we fought. We truly believe, as a team and as a leader, we deserve to be in the final. So, there’s couple of things that we need to improve on, but really glad we came and showed what this team is made of,” Tahir shared.
The Amazon Warriors Captain went on to divulge about areas that need improvement.
“It’s obviously basic things. Last game, I think we really weren’t there for the challenge, that’s how I felt. No captain can say that in front of the media, but I think, coming back from there, we had to sit down and ask ourselves. We promised this nation, we promised our families and ourselves, it’s a big game, it’s a knockout game, and there is no way that we’re going to do the same thing again and the mistakes that we made. But, coming back and perform like that, it’s just an incredible effort.”
Tahir went on to respond to inquiries about how he managed to inspire his troops after that loss, citing ‘Warrior Nation’ as a major factor.
“We’re playing for the badge first. The country comes first, the Guyana Amazon Warriors comes first, before us. The players come after; we play for the nation. These beautiful people come and support us every time we play at home, and even away. So, it feels like you’re still home when you’re away. So, just grateful to every Guyanese whoever they are and wherever they are that come and support us. I don’t have words to say, every time I’ve been asked this question, I’m just really, really grateful to them,” Tahir explained.
The Amazon Warriors will go for their second title in as many years this evening, as they take on the St. Lucia Kings in the season’s marquee game at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara, from 19:00hrs.
