Jamaica Kingsmen vs Guyana Amazon Warriors, Qualifier 2, Caribbean Premier League 2026 - CommentaryJKM vs GAW, Qualifier 2, Caribbean Premier League 2026 - Commentary

Right, we're down to the final game of #CPL2026 and it's the Kingsmen up against the Falcons. That should be a cracker. The two teams started the tournament in St. Vincent and they'll finish it here at the Kensington Oval. Join us on Sunday night for what should be an absorbing contest. For now, cheers and bye..

Powell (2/2): [On Shimron Hetmyer’s innings] It’s special. A really, really special player to come off in a playoff game like this with his entire country on his back. The pressure he gets for Guyana when he doesn’t score, and to turn that around from a few nights ago to come and score a hundred is fantastic. He’s a world-class player and it’s just unfortunate that it came out on the losing end. [On facing the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons in the final] I think if you look on it, Antigua is one of those teams that has played the best cricket throughout the entire competition. They have been really successful, especially as a spin group and even as a fast bowling core. They have been a very successful team. We’ll take the next 24 hours to sit down, revise some plans, and see if we can come up with some good plans against their match-winning players. [On the message to the fans ahead of the final] Just keep on supporting us. It’s been a tough start, but we have fought a good battle. We have one more last push. Keep supporting us from home. Whoever can come to the stadium in their Jamaica colors, please come down. It’s a CPL final. Support us.

Rovman Powell (1/2): [On the journey to the final] It’s a proud journey, to be honest. It started out with us losing three games early in the competition and in the middle, we found some form, some confidence, and realized that we can play cricket as a bunch. Coming in, we just wanted to squeeze into the playoffs because we know once you get a Jamaican team into the playoffs, they’re dangerous. I know it’s showtime. [On the bowling effort] I think we bowled well in patches, to be honest. Andre Russell and a few of the other guys struggled a bit, but when he came off the field, the energy he came back with was exceptional. I told the guys at the halfway mark that they were 15 runs short. After bowling the first few balls to Shai Hope and Hetmyer, he (Saim Ayub) said, "Skipper, it’s a very good wicket." [On his leadership at the halfway stage and getting the team across the line] I think credit has to be given to the coaching staff and our owner. They have given me the control to actually run the franchise and to lead. That is something that I’ve always wanted, especially with a team coming to Jamaica when they don’t know the local players. So this is one year that I tried to get involved as a captain. It’s good to see that bearing fruit. So a lot of the credit has to be given to the boys. I think they fought really hard.

Tahir (2/2): [On the turning points in the second half] Probably the catch, and I don’t wanna put pressure on the youngsters. He tried his best. It’s always a difficult one, but in that situation I think that catch was very valuable for our team and yeah, like I said, it could have been a different story. [On the campaign, the players and the fans] I think it’s been a great campaign. We all chipped in. I wouldn’t say it’s been a consistent performance from a couple of the guys who we were expecting highly. But for me, I think it’s been a great team effort. We gel really well, respect each other, and enjoy each other’s success. But unfortunately, the last part, which matters, to any team, unfortunately we didn’t obviously cross the line. But I also want to thank our fans. They came in numbers, and always wherever we played; we are really, really grateful to them. Thank you very much. And all over Caribbean, all the islands - I mean, through this journey we met some beautiful people and they looked after us and share love and I think that’s what Caribbean is all about. So I just want to wish all the best to the team who qualified and I hope that we have a good final.

Imran Tahir (1 / 2): [On the batting effort of 206 for four] I think, that’s what we were expecting from our batting and finally, they took the responsibility and put a very good score for us to defend. I’m the kind of guy who never wants to complain about the conditions. Obviously we have here, it’s absolutely wet here and stuff like that, but that’s what we had discussed before we went out. This is the challenge and unfortunately we have to defend it. [On the loss and missing out on another final] If we look in the end, because this was a really good game. Obviously it’s a tough one to swallow, having played finals in the last two years, so we really wanted to finish on a high note and take the team through. But unfortunately, give credit to the other team, they played better cricket than us tonight. [On whether 206 was sufficient and his message before defending the total] Like I said, it’s gonna be wet conditions, and it’s difficult to bowl in those conditions. They had a good start, so we were expecting that. But I think if we could have picked up two or three wickets earlier, that would have put a lot of pressure on the incoming batsmen in the middle, especially. That’s where we controlled really well - Mehidy, myself, and Khary, who were obviously our best bowlers throughout the campaign - and I think we didn’t do that. They kept scoring, and we didn’t pick up any wickets. I think that’s where there was a little gap where we were still catching up with things and plus I think we had one or two opportunities, I guess, that’s part of the game, but I think if we took those well, that probably could have been a different scenario.

Shimron Hetmyer : [On Rovman Powell sharing the award with him] Ah, all credit goes to Rovman. Hell of a guy to do something like that. I think they really played out of their skins today, and I’m really happy for them. Feels hard that we lost, but man, could not happen to a better person.

Rovman Powell | Player of the Match - [On his 40 off 17 balls and leading the team across the line] I think that the work has been done. Credit has to be given to the guys who batted the first 15 overs. I think they were exceptional. But, when we look at the larger scale of the game, credit has to be given to Guyana also. They are a champion side. Hetmyer came out tonight and scored a magnificent hundred. So a lot of credit to Guyana. [On where this innings ranks among his knocks this season] I think maybe it is the best one that I’ve played. It’s the most impactful, to be honest and it’s good to get such an impactful innings in a playoff game that pushes us to the final. I’ve always, as a captain, wanted to lead from the front. Tonight provided an opportunity for me to do that, and I’m just grateful that I was able to. [On facing Imran Tahir in the final over and his plan] I think when you’re batting to survive, your intent is different from when you’re batting to really score. At that point I felt as if I would have the better of him because I’m not looking to survive. The googly is the trend, and once I get close to the googly, I back myself to hit it for six. [On his emotions after reaching the final] Um, to be honest, I’m feeling good. Feeling good to see a franchise come back to Jamaica and we’re in the final. At the start of the competition, we set out three goals: to get into the playoffs as a new franchise, and when we got into the playoffs, to see if we could squeeze into the final. We have achieved two of those. Hopefully Sunday we can push for the next one.

Rovman Powell is the Player of the Match, but he has decided to share it with Shimron Hetmyer, who still looks glum and dazed. They share a big hug at the end of it all

23:02 Local Time, 03:02 GMT, 08:32 IST: A superb run-chase as they hauled down 206 and stunned the Warriors. Their supporters, though sparse, are over the moon while their Guyanese counterparts look crest-fallen. It wasn't going to be easy - Shimron Hetmyer looks glum; he thought his hundred had secured his team a spot in the finals, but the Kingsmen had other ideas. Maaz Sadaqat's 17-ball 41 got them off to a start, Kirk McKenzie and Saim Ayub batted around to-scorer Kaecy Carty (40-ball 56) to keep their team in the hunt. They found the boundaries regularly and never allowed the required run rate to go out of reach. But it was skipper Rovman Powell's 17-ball 40* that really sealed the win. He took on the Warrior spinners - Khary Pierre and Imran Tahir went for runs in the 17th and 18th over - and those two overs settled the game in favour of the men from Guyana. They haven't lifted this trophy since 2022, but the Kingsmen will now be a confident unfit as they face the Falcons from Antigua & Barbuda in the final on Sunday.

Pretorius is in the ears of Shepherd once again - mid-wicket comes into the ring, fine leg has gone back

Romario Shepherd to Andre Russell, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Romario makes Russell wait, has a chat with Pretorius