Providence, Guyana – In a thrilling finale of the 12th edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), St. Lucia Kings claimed their maiden title by defeating Guyana Amazon Warriors by 6 wickets. The match, held at the Providence Stadium on Monday, October 7, saw explosive batting from Aaron Jones and Roston Chase, leading St. Lucia to victory with 11 balls to spare.
Guyana, batting first after losing the toss on their home ground, managed to post 138 for 8 in their 20 overs. Their innings got off to a shaky start when left-arm spinner Khary Pierre dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz for a duck in the first over. Opener Moeen Ali added 14 runs before being sent back to the pavilion. Shai Hope contributed 22 runs, while Dwaine Pretorius remained unbeaten on 25 from 12 balls, and Romario Shepherd smashed 19 off 9 deliveries to boost Guyana’s total. St. Lucia’s left-arm spinner, Noor Ahmad, was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3 wickets for just 19 runs.
Chasing 139, St. Lucia struggled early, finding themselves at 51 for 4 after 10 overs. Captain Faf du Plessis, Johnson Charles, Ackeem Auguste, and Tim Seifert were all dismissed, leaving the team in a tight spot. At one point, St. Lucia went 61 consecutive deliveries without hitting a boundary, further adding to the pressure.
However, Aaron Jones and Roston Chase turned the game around with a calm yet aggressive partnership. Their composed batting saw St. Lucia reach the target comfortably in the end, securing their first-ever CPL championship and denying Guyana a much-anticipated title.
The victory marks a historic moment for St. Lucia Kings, who had previously reached the finals but never managed to claim the trophy.