The Saint Lucia Kings will return home for their third match of the season, facing an unbeaten Guyana Amazon Warriors. Tim Seifert has proven his form, scoring 26 runs off just 11 balls in their last match against Antigua, showing that his performance in the opening game was not a one-time feat. With Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Shimron Hetmyer leading Guyana’s batting lineup, it promises to be an exciting contest.
Pitch and Match Overview
The match will take place at the Darren Sammy International Cricket Stadium, a venue that was batting-friendly during the T20 World Cup. Anticipate another exciting match featuring two formidable batting lineups that are likely to produce a high score. The Kings have strengthened their bowling attack by adding Khary Pierre, but both teams’ bowlers will face a challenging task. The question remains whether Imran Tahir and his team can rise to the challenge and keep the Kings’ batting lineup in check.
Saint Lucia Kings Team Preview
Saint Lucia Kings have started their season on a high note with back-to-back wins. These victories reflect their strength in both batting and bowling. In the opening game, their batters chased down 202 runs against St Kitts, while their bowlers restricted Antigua to just 142 for 7 in the next match.
Faf du Plessis and Johnson Charles are crucial players for the Kings. Du Plessis’ early-season form is encouraging, and Charles, although slow in his last match, will be essential on this ground, where he has plenty of experience. The middle order boasts the talents of Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Tim Seifert, with David Wiese and Roston Chase offering additional firepower in the lower order.
The Kings’ bowling lineup is just as strong. Noor Ahmed has impressed with his spin in both matches, and the addition of Khary Pierre strengthens their spin options alongside Roston Chase. While David Wiese and Alzarri Joseph haven’t looked too threatening so far, both pacers are capable of taking crucial wickets.
Saint Lucia Kings Predicted XI: Johnson Charles, Faf du Plessis (c), Ackeem Auguste, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Roston Chase, Tim Seifert (wk), David Wiese, Khary Pierre, Matthew Forde, Alzarri Joseph, Noor Ahmad
Guyana Amazon Warriors Team Preview
Guyana Amazon Warriors enter this match with immense confidence, particularly after their dominant batting display. In their opening match, they scored 171 runs while chasing, but their real highlight came in the second match where they posted a massive 266 runs. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Shimron Hetmyer were the stars, with Hetmyer smashing 91 off 39 balls, including 11 sixes.
Keemo Paul also played a crucial role in that innings, scoring 38 off just 14 balls. Guyana’s batting depth is impressive, with Azam Khan, Keemo Paul, and Dwaine Pretorius providing strength in the lower order. Shai Hope adds more firepower at the top, making this batting lineup formidable.
On the bowling front, Imran Tahir continues to lead the Warriors effectively. With key bowlers like Raymon Reifer, Dwaine Pretorius, and Keemo Paul in the mix, Tahir can confidently rotate his bowlers to keep the opposition under pressure.
Guyana Amazon Warriors Predicted XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Gudakesh Motie, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer, Azam Khan (wk), Keemo Paul, Dwaine Pretorius, Raymon Reifer, Kevin Sinclair, Imran Tahir (c), Junior Sinclair
Weather and Pitch Conditions
While the forecast shows potential showers on match day, the weather is expected to be mostly cloudy during the game, with temperatures around 29°C. There might be rain interruptions over the weekend in Gros Islet, affecting some matches.
The pitch at Darren Sammy International Cricket Stadium is typically batting-friendly, but bowlers might find some assistance in the second innings. The average first-innings score in the last 10 matches is 161 runs. However, a competitive total is likely to be around 180 or more.
Toss Prediction: To Bat First
Teams batting first have won 6 out of the last 10 T20 matches at this venue. Both Saint Lucia Kings and Guyana Amazon Warriors are strong with the bat, and the team winning the toss should choose to bat first and aim for a substantial total. Although the Kings have successfully chased in their previous matches, facing a strong lineup like Guyana’s will make batting first a safer choice.
Fantasy XI:
Faf du Plessis (C) – Saint Lucia Kings
Shimron Hetmyer (VC) – Guyana Amazon Warriors
Johnson Charles – Saint Lucia Kings
Rahmanullah Gurbaz – Guyana Amazon Warriors
Tim Seifert – Saint Lucia Kings
Bhanuka Rajapaksa – Saint Lucia Kings
David Wiese – Saint Lucia Kings
Keemo Paul – Guyana Amazon Warriors
Imran Tahir – Guyana Amazon Warriors
Noor Ahmad – Saint Lucia Kings
Dwaine Pretorius – Guyana Amazon Warriors
Captain: Faf du Plessis
Vice-Captain: Shimron Hetmyer
