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CPL 2021 | GAW vs TKR, Preview: Clash of the titans await fans to start the Caribbean extravaganza

Abhishek Singh

The Caribbean Premier League is finally here and what could be better than a Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Trinabago Knight Riders clash to start it with. It is like Manchester United vs Liverpool or Real Madrid vs Barcelona or in cricketing terms Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings of the CPL. 

The only difference however is that the Guyanese team has not been able to win even a single title so far, having appeared four times in the Final out of the eight seasons. To compensate for that though, they beat most of the teams at league stages including the Trinidad and Tobago team. However, the record has swung in favour of the Knight Riders recently, so much so that in the last 10 meetings the Knight Riders have won six games. 

Now, to get things in balance, the Warriors would be edging to get one past their biggest rivals in the inaugral match of another Covid restricted edition of the league. 

Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Trinbago Knight Riders: Details

Match Number-01

Date and Time: August 26, 2021, 07:30 pm IST, 10:00 am Local, 02:00 pm GMT

Venue: Warner Park

Broadcast and Livestream: Star Sports Network and Fancode

Pitch Report

The pitch at Basseterre has generally proved high scoring as far as T20 is concerned. In 38 domestic T20 matches, the average score at the ground is 166 while in seven international T20 games, the runs have gone down with the average score being 136. However, the pitch has always favoured chasers with 23 times out of 38, the team winning batting second in the league games. 

Thus if a captain wins the toss, there would be no surprise if he chooses to bat second. 

Weather Forecast

With 72% humidity, it would be very difficult conditions at 10 am in Basseterre. The temperature would be only 30 degrees, but BBC  weather tells that it would feel like 41 degrees so imagine the toughness for players. However, one thing that is great for viewers is that there are fewer to no chances of rain. 

Team News

Guyana Amazon Warriors

The team would be looking to utilise the experience of the two Pakistanis in Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik to go with the aggression of Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer in the batting. 

In the bowling department, they would again bank on the experience of Imran Tahir and mix it with the youth of Kevin Sinclair Romario Shepherd. 

Probable XI

Brandon King, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Mohammad Hafeez, Shimron Hetmyer, Shoaib Malik, Nicholas Pooran (c) (wk), Anthony Bramble, Romario Shepherd, Kevin Sinclair, Imran Tahir, Naveen-ul-Haq

Trinbago Knight Riders

The Trinbago Knight Riders on their part would be looking to get on the road straight away. With the extra responsibility of vice-captain, Sunil Narine would be looking to contribute more with the bat while Kieron pollard would look to trust two New Zealanders in Tim Seifert and Colin Munro at the top with ever-reliable Lendl Simmons. 

In the bowling department, Isuru Udana is likely to play a key role along with new kid on the block Jayden Seales and Pakistan born USA player Ali Khan in the pace battery. For spin, Narine would have the company of either Akeal Hossein or Khary Pierre. 

Probable XI

Colin Munro, Tim Seifert, Lendl Simmons, Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard (c), Denesh Ramdin (wk), Sunil Narine, Khary Pierre, Isuru Udana, Ali Khan, Jayden Seales

Dream XI Fantasy team

Batters Colin Munro, Lendl Simmons, Shimron Hetmyer

All Rounders Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Isuru Udana

Bowlers Ali Khan, Kevin Sinclair, Imran Tahir

Wicket Keepers Tim Seifert, Nicholas Pooran

Captain Kieron Pollard

Vice-Captain Nicholas Pooran

Discover more

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