Guyanese Gudakesh Motie and Nial Smith are set to join the Guyana Amazon Warriors for this year’s edition of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL), which will run from August 28 to September 19 in St. Kitts and Nevis.
Well-placed sources also informed News Room Sport on Thursday that the Guyanese duo, along with Pakistani veteran Shoaib Malik will suit up for the Warriors this season.
On Wednesday, it was revealed that Pakistani all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez will return to the Warriors’ camp for this edition. It is understood Malik will be the team’s marquee player.
Motie topped the bowling charts at this year’s Regional Super50 with 17 wickets at an average of 16.64 and an economy rate of 4.56.
Smith impressed in both the Four-Day and Super50 with his pace and aggression, which has seen him progress into West Indies red-ball training camps.
Malik, who captained Warriors in 2019 where they played unbeaten until the final, is the 10th leading run-scorer in CPL history, and apart from his leadership he is expected to shoulder the serious middle-order responsibility.
Amazon Warriors retained 11 of the players who guided them to the semi-finals of the 2020 event.
Nicholas Pooran made the only century of last year’s tournament and he will be back along with Shimron Hetmyer and Brandon King.
The Warriors will also be welcoming back South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir, and Afghan fast bowler Naveen ul Haq.
The squad also features up and coming Guyanese players, Kevin Sinclair and Ashmead Nedd, both of whom impressed at their first Hero CPL in 2020.
Anthony Bramble, Odean Smith, Romario Shepherd and Chandrapaul Hemraj are the others retained.
