KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – An unbeaten half-century from Shakib al Hasan and a typically robust knock from captain Chris Gayle rescued Jamaica Tallawahs and lifted them to a five-wicket victory over leaders Guyana Amazon Warriors here Friday night.
Chasing 129 for victory at Sabina Park, Tallawahs were staring defeat in the face when they slumped to two runs for four wickets in the second over.
However, Shakib struck an unbeaten 54 off 47 deliveries while Gayle lashed 45 not out off 29 balls to dig Tallawahs out of a hole with an 87-run, unbroken sixth wicket stand, that saw the hosts to victory with 25 balls to spare.
The revival started with Andre Russell who smashed a swift 15-ball 24 in a 43-run, fifth wicket partnership with Shakib, who counted seven fours in his knock.
Gayle, batting at number seven, punched two fours and four sixes and it was he who finished the game in style, belting 14 runs from the 15th over bowled by leg-spinner Adam Zampa before launching debutant seamer Ali for a huge six in the next over to bring up victory.
Earlier, Amazon Warriors needed a defiant unbeaten 46 from in-form Jason Mohammed to get up to 128 for six, after they were sent in.
Australian Chris Lynn chipped in with 33 while left arm spinner Imad Wasim (2-12) and fast bowler Dale Steyn (2-31) finished with two wickets apiece.
Amazon Warriors never found balance in their innings as they lost wickets at key intervals. New Zealander Martin Guptill failed to score, edging a drive behind off Steyn with the score on eight and opener Dwayne Smith put on 28 with Lynn before missing a sweep at Imad Wasim and falling lbw for 11.
Lynn was going great runs, smashing five fours and a six off a mere 18 balls and looked to be taking charge. However, he picked out long on with a full toss from Imad to perish at 55 for three in the ninth over and leave Amazon Warriors in a spot of bother.
Not for the first time in the tournament, Mohammed held the innings together, adding 31 with Anthony Bramble (6) before sensibly shepherding the innings to the end.
He faced 51 balls and counted one four and two sixes.
Left-arm seamer Sohail Tanvir then stunned Sabina Park, striking twice as the hosts lost three wickets in the opening over.
Chadwick Walton edged the second ball behind to depart for two and off the very next ball, a mix-up saw the demise of Andre McCarthy, run out without facing a ball.
Rovman Powell flicked the fifth ball to Ali Khan at backward square to leave Tallawahs reeling at three wickets down with two runs on the board and when Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara edged the first ball of the next over from Ali Khan through to wicketkeeper Bramble, Tallawahs were in dire straits.
Russell and Shakib counter-attacked to initially shift the momentum, with the right-handed Russell crashing two fours and two sixes before holing out to square leg where Zampa took a brilliant catch off left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul.
Any hopes Amazon Warriors had of polishing off the innings perished quickly at the hands of Shakib and Gayle, as they dominated the latter half of the game.
Scoreboard
AMAZON WARRIORS
D Smith lbw b Imad Wasim 11
*M Guptill c wkp Sangakkara b Steyn 0
C Lynn c Russell b Imad Wasim 33
J Mohammed not out 46
+A Bramble c Russell b Shakib Al Hasan 6
C Barnwell run out 8
V Permaul b Steyn 3
Sohail Tanvir not out 15
Extras (b1, lb2, w3) 6
TOTAL (6 wkts, 20 overs) 128
Did not bat: R Emrit, Ali Khan, A Zampa.
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-36, 3-55, 4-86, 5-99, 6-105.
Bowling: Russell 3-1-23-0, Steyn 4-0-31-2 (w1), Imad Wasim 4-0-12-2, Mathurin 3-0-13-0, Shakib al Hasan 2-0-20-1, Williams 4-0-26-0 (w2).
TALLAWAHS
C Walton c wkp Bramble b Sohail Tanvir 2
A McCarthy run out 0
+K Sangakkara c wkp Bramble b Ali Khan 0
R Powell c Ali Khan b Sohail Tanvir 0
Shakib Al Hasan not out 54
A Russell c Zampa b Permaul 24
*C Gayle not out 45
Extras (lb1, w4, nb2) 7
TOTAL (5 wkts, 15.5 overs) 132
Did not bat: Imad Wasim, D Steyn, G Mathurin, K Williams.
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-2, 3-2, 4-2, 5-45.
Bowling: Sohail Tanvir 3-0-14-2, Ali Khan 3.5-0-49-1 (w2, nb2), Permaul 2-0-27-1 (w2), Smith 2-0-11-0, Zampa 3-0-20-0, Emrit 1-0-10-0.
Result: Tallawahs won by five wickets.
Points: Tallawahs 2, Amazon Warriors 0.
Man-of-the-Match: Shakib al Hasan.
Toss: Tallawahs.
Umpires: L Reifer, J Ward; TV – P Nero.