By Avenash Ramzan
“I feel honoured and excited to be a part of the Guyana Amazon Warriors. I’m grateful for the opportunity and looking forward to making use of it.”
Matthew Nandu could not be more grateful for the opportunity to join the Warriors, having been drafted as one of the two Under-23 players by the franchise ahead of the Hero Caribbean Premier League 2022.
The 19-year-old Guyanese left-handed opener earlier this year represented West Indies in the ICC Men’s Under-19 50-over World Cup, being one of three players from the Caribbean to score a hundred in the tournament.
Nandu’s long-term goal is to play senior international cricket for the West Indies, and the Canada-based student/athlete sees this induction in the ‘Biggest Party in Sport’ as a massive springboard.
“It means a lot,” he told News Room Sport at the weekend.
“It’s a huge step towards achieving my aspirations (of playing international cricket). Being able to rub shoulders and train with some of the greats, is a great learning opportunity to ask questions, and learn as much as possible.”
“I’m looking forward to meeting the rest of the team, and re-uniting with some of my teammates from the World Cup.”
In expressing gratitude to the management of the franchise for the pick, Nandu said he is prepared to play his part, whether on the field or beyond it, in helping the Warriors break the title jinx.
The Warriors have played in a record five CPL finals since the inception of the League in 2013, finishing second-best on every occasion.
“My message to the fans, is that we’ll go out there and give it our all. I know the competition is going to be a good one, but I know that we will work together as a unit to achieve our ultimate goal.”
Nandu is currently reading for a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Wilfred Laurier University in Ontario, Canada, and during the Under-19 World Cup he had the arduous task of balancing sport and academics.
Though he didn’t produce the consistency at the global tournament, Nandu’s standout innings was a majestic 128- West Indies’ highest individual score of the competition- against Papua New Guinea at the Diego Martin Sporting Complex in Trinidad.
His hundred was the first by a Guyanese player at the Under-19 World Cup since Tagenarine Chanderpaul made 112 against India in Sharjah in 2014.
Off-spinning all-rounder Junior Sinclair is the other Under-23 player drafted by the Warriors for the August 31 to September 30 tournament.
