Smith led the way with a 24-ball 36, while Simmons contributed 21 off 11 balls, which assisted Riders to 97 for four off their allotment, at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium.
Simmons, 38, put on 29 for the first wicket with captain Robin Uthappa (24), and added another 28 in a second-wicket partnership Smith, who had four boundaries in his knock.
Former Pakistan seamer Sohail Khan was the chief destroyer for the Warriors, as he claimed three for 21, with former West Indies seamer Jerome Taylor taking the other wicket.
Meanwhile, Kamran Akmal struck a brisk 34 off 11 balls, including three fours and three sixes, in a 63-run opening stand with Tillakaratne Dilshan, who struck 28 from 14 balls.
Though former Bangladesh left-arm spinner Elias Sunny slowed their progress, snaring two of the three wickets that fell in quick succession, former West Indies all-rounder Jonathan Carter and Shahid Afridi took the game away from the Riders, with an unbroken 40-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Carter struck one boundary and a maximum in his 17, while Afridi was unbeaten on 22.
Sunny ended with two wickets for 11 runs.
Another former West Indies player Chris Barnwell struck an unbeaten 28 off a mere 10 deliveries to lead New Jersey Tritons to victory over the Warriors on Sunday.
Barnwell’s knock, which included four sixes saw the Tritons chased down 85 in a contest reduced to five overs per side due to rain.
Brian Lara scored a relatively patient 53 and Dwayne Smith, a quick-fire 47 as the West Indies posted 157 for 4 from their 20 overs. The pair put on a 66-run third-wicket stand after William Perkins (19) and Narsingh Deonarine (2) were both run out within the first six overs to leave the West Indies on 38 for 2.
Lara’s half-century came off 49 balls and included eight fours but it was Smith who dominated the partnership scoring his 47 runs from just 27 balls from which he smashed four fours and three sixes before departing with the West Indies 104 for 3 in the 14th over.
Lara remained unbeaten at the end but with the help of Mahendra Nagamootoo (9) and Tino Best, who was unbeaten on 18, took the score to 157.
Chinthanka Jayasinghe, who got Smith’s wicket returned figures of 1-8 from his only over while Tillakaratne Dilshan had figures of 1-28 from his four.
Needing 158 for victory, Sri Lanka benefitted from an opening stand of 45 between Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya when the latter when trapped lbw by Suilemann Benn for 12 in the six over. Benn would get his second wicket in the 12th over when he had Dilshan caught behind for 47 with the score on 92.
His knock came off 37 balls and included eight fours.
Upul Tharanga, who had put together the 47-run stand with Dilshan featured in a 36-run stand with Chamara Silva who made 22 and then 15 with Jayasinghe. He would remain unbeaten on 53 at the end, scoring his runs from just 37 balls and included eight fours as Sri Lanka achieved their target, scoring 160 for 5 from 19 overs.
Tino Best got the wickets of Jayasinghe for seven and Ajantha Mendis for a duck to finish with 2-22 from three overs. Benn had 2-19 from four.
Ajay Sethi, Chairman of Channel 2 Group Corporation, has taken ownership of the West Indies Champions franchise, bringing a new level of excitement and anticipation to the league. “I am thrilled to be part of the World Championship of Legends and to lead the West Indies Champions,” Sethi stated. “This league is a fantastic opportunity to unite some of the greatest cricket talents and provide fans with a nostalgic yet thrilling experience.”
Joining Gayle on the team are cricket greats Dwayne Smith, Samuel Badree, and Daren Sammy, making the West Indies Champions a formidable force in the tournament. Gayle expressed his excitement about leading the team, saying, “I look forward to rejoining my family in our quest to win the cup. It’s a delight to play more matches in prestigious tournaments like the World Championship of Legends and reconnect with our fans through this exciting format.”
The World Championship of Legends, approved by the England and Wales Cricket Board, will feature six prestigious franchises: India Champions, Australia Champions, England Champions, Pakistan Champions, South Africa Champions, and West Indies Champions.
Fans can expect an unforgettable experience with cricketing legends like Yuvraj Singh, Brett Lee, Kevin Pietersen, Jacques Kallis, Shahid Afridi, and Chris Gayle showing off the skills that made them champions of the sport.
