Earlier in the day, Martin Guptill, Guyana Amazon Warriors’ captain elected to field. With rain expected, it was always the safer bet. The move worked as St Kitts and Nevis Patriots’ top order crumbled with Lendl Simmons (0), Evin Lewis (8) and Jonathan Carter (1) departing without significant contributions.

Faf du Plessis, who was the only top order batsman looking in good touch, departed soon after play resumed after a brief rain break. Brad Hodge, the veteran Australian, and Devon Thomas not only ensured the side’s resurrection, but also accelerated with ease. With the scoring rate being less than run a ball when they came together in the middle, they took it close to eight runs an over during the course of their 60-run stand for the fifth wicket. While Hodge took the backseat with a 32-ball 38, Thomas raced away to the same score, but in 17 balls with as many as four sixes. Tanvir, who struck in the opening over of the innings to dismiss Simmons, returned in the second half of the match to rattle the lower-middle order to pick up three vital wickets of Carlos Brathwaite, Thisara Perera and Thomas.

The middle order, barring Perera crumbled to the spin of Adam Zampa and squandered a good platform laid for a late assault to finish at 164 for 9 in their 20 overs. Tanvir finished with figures of 4 for 20, which also included a maiden, while Zampa had three wickets to his credit.

On a pitch that had good pace and assistance for the batsmen, it was a below-par score. If there were any doubts that it wasn’t, Guyana’s opening duo of Guptill and Smith cleared it. They took the attack to Samuel Badree, who opened the bowling alongside Krishmar Santokie, and put on a first wicket partnership of 62 runs off six overs.

While Guptill fell trying to play an uppish drive through midwicket, Smith continued his assault. However, once Santokie dismissed Smith for a 36-ball 62, the chase fell apart for the visitors. The innings comprised of three fours and five sixes. Chris Lynn and Christopher Barnwell fell in quick succession and handed the initiative to St Kitts and Nevis Patriots.

Nonetheless, Mohammed kept a check on his shots, while scoring at a brisk pace to ensure that there was no situation that would demand panic from his side. Anthony Bramble (14) and Tanvir (8) played their parts, before the match was brought down to six runs needed off three balls.

With Santokie having conceded only a solitary run in the first three balls of the last over, Mohammad played the fourth delivery towards the third man region for a boundary to bring the equation down to two runs off two balls. A pull towards the deep midwicket region ensured that the requirements were fulfilled with one ball in hand.

Brief Scores: St Kitts and Nevis Patriots 164/9 in 20 overs (Devon Thomas 38, Brad Hodge 38; Sohail Tanvir 4-20, Adam Zampa 3-34) lost to Guyana Amazon Warriors 165/6 in 19.5 overs (Dwayne Smith 62, Jason Mohammed 42; Carlos Brathwaite 2-35, Tabraiz Shamsi 1-16) by four wickets.