Shakib’s Jamaica lose first playoff to Guyana

Bangladesh allrounder Shakib Al Hasan was on the money with the ball but ended up on the losing side in the first playoff as Guyana Amazon Warriors sneaked into the final with a four-wicket win over Jamaica Tallawahs at Basseterre in St Kitts.

Jamaica will have a second shot at the final come the second on August 5.

Shakib completed his quota of four overs with his guile and superb control on display. He conceded 20 runs, and was unfortunate to miss out on a wicket in his second over. The lucky break gave the batsman Chris Lynn, who was on 20 to do more damage to Jamaica in the end. Lynn slogged across the line and his shot went flat down to deep midwicket. The ball was dying as the fielder dived forward, went through his hands as he gathered both to catch it.

Invited to bat first, Jamaica could only out up a below-par show to stutter to 146 for the loss of eight wickets. Chasing a target of 147 runs, Guyana Amazon Warriors got off to a quick start with Nic Maddinson (14) clubbing the last two deliveries of the opening over for boundaries and a six of Kesrick Williams's next, reports Cricbuzz.

Once play resumed after the first rain break, Dwayne Smith and Chris Lynn resisted the temptation of playing over the in-field in the Powerplay overs, and went about with a sedate approach to the chase.

It was only in the fourth over of the innings, bowled by Garey Mathurin, that the duo decided to muscle a couple of poor deliveries for boundaries. Besides that, they stuck to taking singles and hit an odd six off Shakib al Hasan following the second rain break.

The turning point of the match came in the 18th over when Rovman Powell, the medium pacer, sprayed the ball all over the pitch, bowling two wides and a no-ball, conceding 17 runs. Russell bowled a superb penultimate over to bring the equation down to six runs off as many deliveries.

Imad Wasim was handed over the charge of bowling the last over. He did well to bring the equation down to three runs off three balls, but had his fourth delivery sent sailing over the mid-wicket fence by Sohail Tanvir as the Amazon Warriors won with two balls to spare.

Earlier in the day, Sohail Tanvir and Rayad Emrit's efforts with the ball allowed Amazon Warriors to restrict the Tallawahs to 146 for 8. The Pakistani left armer picked up two wickets for 24 while Emrit snared three for 30. Shakib faced four balls, scored two runs and was sent back to the dug-out by Emrit.

Brief Scores: Jamaica Tallawahs 146/8 in 20 overs (Chris Gayle 33, Rovman Powell 23; Rayad Emrit 3-30, Sohail Tanvir 2-24) lost to Guyana Amazon Warriors 150/6 in 19.4 overs (Chris Lynn 49, Sohail Tanvir 21*; Shakib Al Hasan 0-20, Kesrick Williams 4-37) by four wickets.