Sakib al Hasan’s brilliance lifted his Caribbean Premier League side Jamaica Tallawahs from a precarious 2-4 to a five-wicket victory against Guyana Amazon Warriors on Saturday at Sabina Park, Jamaica. Chasing the Guayan’s score of 128-6 Jamaica made a horrendous start but Sakib kept his cool to guide his side home by playing a unbeaten 54-run innings off 47 balls with the support of his skipper Chris Gayle as Jamaica reached 132-5 in 15.5 overs.
In his maiden CPL fifty, Sakib, who recently celebrated his 200th Twenty20 match, struck seven boundaries and added 87 in the unbroken fifth wicket stand with Gayle, who remained not out on 45, to make a comprehensive victory in the end.
In pursuit of a mediocre total in a lively pitch, Jamaica lost three wickets in the very first over bowled by Pakistani Sohail Tanvir including a run-out.
Things turned from bad to worse when their experienced Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara was caught behind in the first ball of the next over of Tanvir’s compatriot Ali Khan.
As Gayle left the field during their fielding he needed to sit out for 18 minutes in their batting and that forced Andre Russell to come in the crease to join Sakib, who picked up his third man-of-the-match award in tournament history.
Russell started to counter attack and struck two boundaries and two sixes but he was perished for 24 off 15 balls to leave the onus on Sakib and Gayle.
After the match Sakib hailed their team effort and said it was the main thing that helped them win the match.
‘We played as a team, Bowlers did a wonderful job and the batsmen could finish it properly,’ said Sakib.
Sakib had been struggling in this season’s CPL as he scored just 32 runs and picked up just one wicket from first four matches before Saturday.
Earlier in the day, England-born Pakistani all-rounder Imad Wasim bowled miserly for Jamaica to give away just 12 runs in his four-over spell with two wickets.
Dale Steyn got two wickets and Sakib foxed Guyana’s Anthony Bramble to be caught in the long-leg by Russell to restrict Guyana for a lowly score.
Jason Mohammad made not out 46 and Chris Lynn scored 33 for Guyana.
With the win Jamaica are in the second position in the league with seven points from five games and Guyana remained on top with 10 points from seven games.
-With New Age input
