PORT-OF-SPAIN, Sporting Alert – Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel are into the final of the 2015 Caribbean Premier League Twenty20 tournament after beating the Guyana Amazon Warriors by six wickets on Saturday.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first in the second semi-final of the tournament, the Amazon Warriors reached 108 for nine off their 20 overs.
Opening batsman Lendl Simmons top scored for Guyana with 64 runs, which included 8 fours off 51 balls, but only Chris Barnwell, who made 12, reached double figures as the visitors saw four wickets fell for just six runs in the middle order.
Samuel Badree finished with two wickets for nine runs, while Dwayne Bravo had two for 19 and Sulieman Benn grabbed two for 24 to lead the way with the ball for Red Steel.
In Trinidad & Tobago’s chase for victory, Kamran Akmal led the way with 49 runs – hitting 7 fours and a six off 41 balls, with Darren Bravo, the brother of Dwayne, supporting with 22 runs, after smashing 2 sixes and 2 fours off 17 delivery.
After losing four wickets in the reply, Jason Mohammed (17 not out) and Dwayne Bravo (8 not out) saw Red Steel home at Queen’s Park Oval, in Port of Spain, with nine balls remaining.
Marchant de Lange, Devendra Bishoo, Veerasammy Permaul and Sunil Narin each took a wicket for the Guyana Amazon Warriors.
Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel will now face defending champions Barbados Tridents in Sunday’s final.
“This really is a special feeling – you can’t ask for better than to play in front of your own fans,” Bravo said after the win.
“We had a very slow start at the beginning of the tournament, but to perform like this is a great achievement.
“Before the game started I thought we were going to win this game. It was our gameplan to bowl first actually and everything went right.”
He added: “The fans are the reason why we won this game. They put pressure on the opposition and they really are our 12th man.
“I know there will be another packed house on Sunday. We are looking forward to a good final – I’m very excited and we are going to deliver for our fans.”
