Sunil Dhaniram Backs Guyana Amazon Warriors For CPL Title This Year

Guyana Amazon Warriors fans. Photo courtesy of CPLT20.com

By Ravi Madholall in Toronto
Having missed out on the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 title on a number of occasions, the Guyana Franchise team is getting support from Sunil Dhaniram that they can cross the hurdle in this year’s edition which bowls off on Friday.

Dhaniram, who featured for Guyana at the senior level and also internationally for his adopted country Canada, is confident Guyana Amazon Warriors should create the huge impression citing they have the resources to do the trick.

“I [am] very confident Guyana Amazon Warriors could be the victorious side in this competition; a number of times they have went to the finals but surprisingly didn’t do well but hopefully they reach to the final again but cart off the championship,” Dhaniram expressed.

Guyana Amazon Warriors will begin their quest for supremacy on Saturday, the second match after the opener on Friday against Trinbago Knight Riders at the Central Broward Regional Park, Florida and Dhaniram, the younger sibling of another former Guyana opening batsman Sudesh Dhaniram, stated once the Warriors players utilize foreign soil to good effect, they should be able to start off things in an auspicious manner.

Sunil Dhaniram

“You have got to play positive cricket from the beginning and maintain winning momentum once they get the better of the team, you need that start, you need to win from early as possible so you can have that energy and enthusiasm to be a favorite side,” the all-rounder declared.

With Jamaica Tallawahs being the defending champions, and they are set to miss the service of one their most pugnacious batsmen Chris Gayle, who will be representing St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Dhaniram feels there is always a way to be the new victor.

Guyana Amazon Warriors team is joined by Trinbago Knight Riders, St. Lucia Stars, St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Barbados Tridents and Jamaica Tallawahs as this year’s participating teams.

Since the inauguration of the annual competition in 2013, Guyana Amazon Warriors had participated in three finals and the other time at the semi-final stage.

According to the left-arm conventional spinner Dhaniram, that is a demonstration of their consistency in this exciting format and success is on the horizon.

Jamaica Tallawahs have been the most successful side having lifted the prestigious trophy for two years (2013, 2016) while Trinbago Knight Riders and Barbados Tridents are the two other teams emerged winners in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

Guyana Amazon Warriors will be led by the experienced opening batsman Martin Guptill, the New Zealander. Guptill has been a phenomenal batsman for the Warriors boys over the years and is likely to live up great expectations of doing well again.

Other foreign international star players like Pakistanis Sohail Tanvir and Babar Azam are touted to be top-performers as well.