Barbados Tridents, Guyana Amazon Warriors to battle for CPL 2019 title

Guyana and Barbados, as the top two teams from the league stage points table, faced off in the first qualifier in Providence on 6 October. Guyana continued their undefeated run in the tournament, beating Barbados by 30 runs to book their spot in the final in Tarouba on Saturday, 12 October.

Brandon King scored a brilliant 72-ball 132* in that game to help Guyana post an imposing 218/3. His knock featured 11 sixes and 10 fours, and he now sits atop the run-scoring charts with 453 runs from 11 innings at an average of 56.62.

Barbados batsmen Alex Hales (36 off 19), Jonathan Carter (49 of 26) and Jason Holder (29 of 15) put up a fight, but Guyana's bowlers restricted them well short. Imran Tahir was the pick of the bowlers, returning 2/13 in his four overs.

But Barbados rose from the defeat, and seized their second shot at making the final, defeating Trinbago Knight Riders – winners of the eliminator against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots – by 12 runs in the second qualifier in Tarouba on Thursday, 10 October.

The Trinbago bowlers were superb for the most part, with each of Khary Pierre, Ali Khan and Chris Jordan taking two wickets apiece to reduce the opposition to 112/6 in 17.4 overs. But Ashley Nurse and Raymon Reifer wreaked havoc in the next 14 deliveries to add 48 more runs – a passage of play that ultimately cost Trinbago dearly. Nurse was especially brilliant, smashing three sixes – two off Ali Khan and one off Jordan – in his nine-ball 24*.

Trinbago's response was led by Seekkuge Prasanna, who smashed 51 off 27, including four fours and four sixes, but received no support from the other end. He was outdone by a supreme yorker from Reifer in the first ball of the 20th over, which thwarted hope of him completing a heroic chase as Reifer took the final wicket next ball to bowl them out for 148.

Barbados will have to be on top of their game if they are to beat Guyana on Saturday. Guyana, who have been to the finals thrice but have failed to win a single title, seem extremely determined this season. They won each of their 10 games in the league stages and then went on to beat Barbados quite comfortably in the first qualifier to make it three wins against them in the tournament. The 2014 champions will want to settle scores in the final.