No team has lost as many finals as Guyana. They were runners-up in the Caribbean Premier League five times and lost to Jamaica Tallawahs (2013 and 2016), Barbados Tridents (2014 and 2019) and Trinbago Knight Riders (2018).
However, the Guyana Amazon Warriors, who have suffered five painful defeats, are hoping that the 2022 tournament will be a special one.
After a stunning campaign for the Warriors in 2019 with 11 wins in a row, the lone loss came in the final against Barbados. In an interview with Newsday, when asked how the team can bounce back from the disappointment of the past tournaments, Guyana Amazon Warriors Public Relations Officer Romario Samroo said,
“Every year the franchise starts fresh and we continue to support and trust in our family.”
And,
“Playing at home, in front of our home crowd is always joyful. We love the support we get from the fans. The finals and knockouts are a long way from now and we are focusing on taking it one match at a time.”
The leading bowler for Guyana this time is the 43-year-old South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir, who was the best bowler of the tournament. Since making his CPL debut in 2018, he has now taken 60 wickets in 43 matches.
They also have a left-handed bowling battalion of South African Tabriz Shamsi and Guyana’s Weerasammy Parmaul and Gudakesh Moti.
Shimron Hetmyer will lead the Guyana Warriors this season. For some time he was not available from the national team and the reason for that was that he did not pass the fitness test. However, by now he has passed the fitness test and in the recent defeat against India in Florida, he scored 56 runs off 35 balls.
Romario Samroo said about Hetmyer,
“Shimron has been with the franchise since about 2016, he has grown in maturity since and we expect him to have fun and enjoy his batting in keeping with the team plans.”
Also, all-rounder Paul Stirling and South African batsman Heinrich Klaasen are international destroyers, while Romario Shepherd and Odean Smith can do damage at the tail.
Guyana Amazon Warriors squad: Shimron Hetmyer, Odean Smith, Romari Shepherd, Keemo Paul, Imran Tahir, Gudakesh Motie, Colin Ingram, Paul Stirling, Jermaine Blackwood, Ronsford Beaton, Shai Hope, Verasammy Permaul, Chandrapaul Hemrhami, Tabrain Hemchraj, Tabrain Hemrias Jr. Sinclair, Matthew Nandu.