Fabian Allen

Allen smashed three fours and four sixes to rally Kandy Falcons to 160-8 after they had slumped to 79-6 in the 14^th over despite 35 from Andre Fletcher and 24 from Ashan Bandara, who was dismissed in the 17^th over with the score at 119.

Allen raced to his 47 in just 23 balls before he was dismissed mid-way the final over when the score was 151. Chamika Karunaratne, who was not out on 18 at the end, pushed the score to 160-8.

Dunith Wellalage was the best of the Jaffna Kings bowlers taking 2-7 while James Fuller took 2-28.

Jaffna Kings made a good go of the chase for 161 thanks in large part to the efforts of Avishka Fernando who made 33 from 20 balls before he was bowled by Allen and Sadeera Samarawickrama, whose steady 48 from 41 balls held the innings together.

He was eventually dismissed by Hasaranga de Silva (2-21), who also took the key wicket of Shoaib Malik for eight, which exposed Jaffna Kings’ lower middle order to Brathwaite, who scythed through the line up with the wickets of Thisara Perera (2), Dunith Wellalage (1) and Fuller for 16, to take swing the match heavily in favour of his side.

The giant Barbadian had earlier taken the wicket of Dhananjaya de Silva (0) to finish with figures of 4-18 as Jaffna Kings’ innings closed on 150-9.

The Kings, after winning the toss and batting first, posted 177-7 from their 20 overs.

Avishka Fernando was the main contributor for the three-time champions with 59 from 48 balls while Pathum Nissanka hit 51 off 33 balls.

Fernando’s innings included seven fours and a six while Nissanka hit six fours and two sixes.

Captain Charith Asalanka also contributed a 15-ball 33 against 3-34 off four overs from Zahoor Khan and 2-23 from four overs from Dwayne Pretorius.

The Marvels then used all of the 120 balls available to them to successfully chase down their target.

Alex Hales led the way with 65 off 47 balls including seven fours and two sixes while Captain Niroshan Dickwella made 47 off 27 balls including eight fours and a six as Galle reached 179-5 off 20 overs.

Janith Liyanage also made a crucial 13-ball 25 for Galle. It eventually came down to them needing three runs off the last ball, a ball that Sahan Arachchige hit for four to seal the win.

Fabian Allen took 2-33 from his four overs for the Kings.

Full Scores:

Jaffna Kings 177-7 off 20 overs (Avishka Fernando 59, Pathum Nissanka 51, Charith Asalanka 33, Zahoor Khan 3-34, Dwayne Pretorius 2-23)

Galle Marvels 179-5 off 20 overs (Alex Hales 65, Niroshan Dickwella 47, Janith Liyanage 25, Fabian Allen 2-33, Avishka Fernando 2-40)

Fletcher, who had scored 53 against the hosts on Wednesday, continued his rich vein of form with a scintillating knock of 84 not out from just 54 balls, including nine fours and four sixes. His explosive innings, coupled with Johnson Charles' brisk 58 off 30 balls, propelled the visitors to a formidable total of 209-3 in their allotted 20 overs. The duo shared a pivotal second-wicket partnership of 92 runs in less than nine overs to lay a solid foundation for their team.

Charles, coming off an unbeaten 119 in the previous match, played another impactful cameo, striking three fours and six sixes before his departure. Fabian Allen contributed a quick-fire 33 not out from 19 balls and with Fletcher shared in an unbroken stand of 83, to boost West Indies A beyond the 200-run mark for the second consecutive game.

The Nepalese bowlers struggled to contain the West Indies batsmen, with Kushal Bhurtel being the most successful among them, claiming 2-23 from his four overs.

In response, Nepal's chase was anchored by a valiant effort from their captain, Rohit Paudel, who blazed his way to 82 off just 47 deliveries, featuring seven fours and five sixes. However, Paudel lacked substantial support from his teammates as Nepal faltered and eventually folded for 181.

Apart from Paudel, Sundeep Jora, Dipendra Singh Airee, and Gulsan Jha contributed 19 each but failed to capitalize on their starts against a disciplined West Indies bowling attack. Matthew Forde and Hayden Walsh Jr starred with the ball, claiming three wickets each, while Fabian Allen chipped in with 2-34. Gudakesh Motie, despite being expensive, managed to pick up two crucial wickets.

With this victory, West Indies A have taken an unassailable 3-1 lead in the series, setting the stage for the final match scheduled to be played on Saturday. The dominant display by the tourists bodes well for their confidence heading into the final encounter and also ahead of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, with Cricket West Indies set to announce their squad for the tournament on June 1.

The PSL conducted a replacement draft for the six teams in order to complete their squads ahead of the resumption of the 2021 tournament, which had been suspended after 14 matches due to spikes in the number of Covid-19 infections in that country.

In the draft, Russell, who is currently playing for Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League, was selected by the Quetta Gladiators, who have lost Tom Banton and Dale Steyn.

Peshawar Zalmi picked up Allen, Rovman Powell and Fidel Edwards as replacements for Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Liam Livingston, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Saquib Mahmood.

Meanwhile, the Multan Sultans pick Obed McCoy along with George Linde, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mahmudullah as replacements for Carlos Brathwaite, Adam Lyth, James Vince and Chris Lynn.

The remainder of the tournament will be played in June, with all matches in Karachi, in a bio-security bubble being put in place by a UK-based company. The teams will assemble by May 23 to begin their mandatory seven-day quarantine, and action will resume on June 2, with the final on June 20.

 The Barbados Royals won the toss and chose to field, getting off to a dream start by removing opener Brandon King for a duck. However, once again it was captain Rovman Powell who took charge for the Tallawahs, scoring his second successive half-century to take his side to 153-7 after 20 overs. 

In their chase, Barbados Royals bounced back after the early dismissal of Kyle Mayers with their South African contingent of Quinton de Kock, Corbin Bosch and captain David Miller combining across the innings to guide the side to victory by eight wickets.

Jamaica Tallawahs lost King in the first over as Mayers demonstrated his ability with the ball. Amir Jangoo and Powell formed a 57-run partnership that was supported by some power-hitting later on from Raymon Reifer and Fabian Allen. West Indies fast bowler Obed McCoy was the stand-out bowler for the Royals, taking 3 wickets for 24 runs as the Tallawahs finished on 153-7. 

Barbados Royals were in early trouble in their chase as opener Mayers was dismissed in the second over, but a magnificent partnership of 117 runs between de Kock and Bosch stifled the Tallawah bowlers. Once Bosch lost his wicket, Miller came in and scored 16 runs off 8 balls in a nervy finish to take his side across the line with just one ball to spare. 

 The win means Barbados Royals maintain their unbeaten start to the season and retain their spot at the top of the league table, while Jamaica Tallawahs remain second. 

Volcanoes made 260-8 off their 50 overs as left-hander Keron Cottoy top-scored with a 64 off 47 balls with four fours and five sixes.

In reply, Jamaica had a bad start were 61-5 in the 15th over before being bowled out for 168 in the 37th over. Left-arm spinner Larry Edward celebrated his 26th birthday in style with a match-winning spell of 3-36 off 10 overs.

When Windwards batted, Andre Fletcher made 60 from 51 balls at the top of the order with four fours and three sixes.

Cottoy was named the CG Insurance Man-of-the-Match, as he continued his good form to follow up his career-best 72 in the previous match against Trinidad & Tobago Red Force. Volcanoes were 171-5 after 40 overs but Cottoy raised the tempo with a number of breathtaking shots as and the last 10 overs yielded 89 runs.

Andre McCarthy top-scored for Jamaica with a run-a-ball 55 which included six fours and a six as he maintained good form - his previous knocks were 48 against Guyana Jaguars and 40 against Trinidad & Tobago Red Force.

Fabian Allen played a number of brave shots in 39 from 43 balls. At the end, Fletcher showed his new skill set as a leg-spinner and captured the last two wickets.

“It’s always good to perform for your team especially in victories. I’m just glad I’ve been able to put up my hand and bat deep into the innings and it paid dividends,” said Cottoy. “We have to take it one game at a time although it feels good to win two out of three.”

Today:  Leeward Islands Hurricanes vs Trinidad & Tobago Red Force at Coolidge Cricket Ground. First ball is 1:30pm (12:30pm Jamaica Time)

King was set to lead the West Indies A-Team on the recently concluded T20 tour to Nepal before he was withdrawn due to injury. Chase, appointed instead, went on to lead the A-Team to a series win against Nepal.

The West Indies Men’s squad for the series is as follows: Brandon King (Captain), Roston Chase (Vice-Captain), Fabian Allen, Alick Athanaze, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Obed McCoy, Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd and Hayden Walsh Jr.

Alzarri Joseph and Sherfane Rutherford will be added to the squad if their respective franchises do not reach the Indian Premier League (IPL) Final. Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran are both rested for the series and will join the squad in Trinidad on Monday, 27 May.

“These are among the last competitive T20 International matches before the start of the World Cup,” said lead selector Desmond Haynes. “Players have the opportunity to fine-tune their skills and ensure they are as prepared as they can be for the World Cup, whether they are in the final squad or reserve pool.”

White Ball Head Coach Daren Sammy also commented on his objectives for this series stating, “We have not played together as a team since the Australia series, but we just completed a very high-intensity training camp in Antigua. Now we have the chance to integrate some of our players returning from the IPL and build some momentum as a group going into the World Cup.”

Tickets for the T20I Series against South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica are available now to buy online from the Windies Tickets service, at WINDIES TICKET PORTAL. Fans who purchase online will benefit from a 20 per cent discount compared to the box office prices, with tickets ranging from the most premium seats with the best-shaded views in the stadium through to affordable standard seats or mounds/grounds entry.

Match schedule:

- 23 May 1st T20I West Indies v South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica 2:00 pm JT/3:00 pm ECT

- 25 May 2nd T20I West Indies v South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica 2:00 pm JT/3:00 pm ECT

- 26 May 3rd T20I West Indies v South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica 2:00 pm JT/3:00 pm ECT

West Indies won the last T20 International played at Sabina Park against New Zealand in August 2022, which was the last time international cricket was played at this historic venue.

The Patriots have brought in two players from other franchises. They have signed Dwayne Bravo from Trinbago Knight Riders in a trade deal that saw Denesh Ramdin go the other way. They have also signed Sherfane Rutherford from Guyana Amazon Warriors.

In addition to these two signings, they have retained Evin Lewis, Fabian Allen, Sheldon Cottrell, Jon Russ Jaggesar and Rayad Emrit.

Exciting young prospects Joshua da Silva and Dominic Drakes round out the retentions.

The Patriots have eight spots to fill to complete their squad and these will be announced in the coming weeks.

“The St Kitts and Nevis Franchise extends a warm welcome to the new players joining us this year as well as to our retained core team for yet another exciting season of the Hero CPL. This year makes it extra special with us playing at our home – Warner Park. I would like to thank all our team players, support staff and management as well as our global fan base for their continued love and support. I look forward to an amazing season in 2021,” said Patriots owner Mahesh Ramani.

The retained players are Dwayne Bravo, Evin Lewis, Fabian Allen, Sherfane Rutherford, Sheldon Cottrell, Rayad Emrit.

A total of 18 players have been offered contracts for the upcoming 2021-22 season which runs from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022.

Meanwhile, Roston Chase, Shamarh Brooks and Shane Dowrich are among several who have lost their retainer contracts. Also losing their contracts were Sunil Ambris, Sheldon Cottrell, Shimron Hetmyer, Brandon King, Keemo Paul, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd and Oshane Thomas.

“Contracts offered for the 2021-22 period sees 18 players being retained, a decrease of four from last year. Jason Holder is the only player to retain his all-format contract due to his strong Test and T20I performances during the evaluation period,” CWI Lead Selector Roger Harper confirmed.

“There are several new players offered red-ball contracts earned by their strong performances during the last period. A number of players were not retained because they did not meet the minimum requirements.”

CWI Director of Cricket, Jimmy Adams was pleased for the players who were retained.

“I am happy for all the players who have been offered retainer contracts for the upcoming period. Especially pleasing was the number of players who were awarded first-time contracts in recognition of their performances during the period under review,” he said.

“I know that the 11 players who have lost their international retainers will be striving and fighting hard to get back into the teams and earn their central contracts back next year.  These players, along with our T20 specialists, will ensure that we have genuine competition for places that will push everyone to attain higher standards of performance.”

The evaluation period for the 2021-22 contracts covered performances and statistics from April 1, 2020, to April 1, 2021 (this was also supported by statistics from the previous 2019-2020 evaluation period). This allows for all players to be appraised immediately after the evaluation period and provides a notice period before new contracts on July 1, 2021.

Below are the players who have been awarded retainer contracts.

All-Format Contracts: Jason Holder.

Red Ball Contracts: Kraigg Brathwaite, Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner*, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva*, Shannon Gabriel, Kyle Mayers* and Kemar Roach.

White Ball Contracts: Kieron Pollard, Fabien Allen, Darren Bravo, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein*, Evin Lewis, Alzarri Joseph, Nicholas Pooran and Hayden Walsh Jr.

*Players offered contracts for the first time in 2021-2022

Players who are no longer receiving international retainer contracts are:

All Format Contracts: Roston Chase.

Red Ball Contracts: Shamarh Brooks and Shane Dowrich.

White Ball Contracts: Sunil Ambris, Sheldon Cottrell, Shimron Hetmyer, Brandon King, Keemo Paul, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd and Oshane Thomas.

 All players who are no longer on International retainer contracts are offered an A* grade Regional Franchise Contract for the following year.

Chasing the Tigers' formidable score of 143-4 in 10 overs, the Deccan Gladiators, led by Pooran, fell short, managing 123-3 in their allotted overs. The Tigers owed their match-winning total to an exceptional innings from Jordan Cox, who scored an unbeaten 90 runs from just 36 balls, featuring eight fours and six sixes.

Cox's explosive knock was particularly impressive as it steered the Tigers from a precarious position of 34-4 within the first four overs. Openers Chris Lynn, David Miller, and Daniel Sams failed to contribute to the scoreboard, but Cox, along with Dasun Shanaka (25 runs from 11 balls), shared an unbroken partnership of 110 runs, propelling their team to a challenging total.

Kusal Mendis chipped in with 19 runs, being the only other batter to score for the Tigers. Andre Russell, supported by Nuwan Thushara (2-22), took 1-5 in his one over, contributing to the Gladiators' bowling effort.

In pursuit of a challenging target, the Deccan Gladiators found themselves at 71-3 after 5.1 overs, with Pooran leading the charge, scoring 41 runs from just 17 balls, including three fours and four sixes. However, the usually explosive Andre Russell struggled, managing only 11 not out from 17 balls, hindering the Gladiators' chase.

Despite the efforts of Allen, who remained unbeaten with a score of 40, featuring five sixes and a four, the Gladiators fell short of the required run rate.

 Haider Ali and Dominic Drakes played crucial roles in restricting the scoring, returning figures of 1-11 and 1-21, respectively. However, Daniel Sams proved expensive, conceding 35 runs in his two overs, although he managed to take two wickets.

Just an hour after Pooran's remarkable innings of 70 from 25 balls in the Gladiators' previous 10-wicket triumph over the Bangla Tigers, the explosive batsman showcased his prowess once again. Pooran contributed a rapid 26 from nine balls before being dismissed, setting the foundation for Tom Kohler-Cadmore's unbeaten 36 and Imad Wasim's explosive 35 from 17 balls, propelling the Gladiators to a total of 117-5.

The Samp Army bowlers, led by Qais Ahmad and Salman Irshad, put up a commendable effort, with Ahmad dismissing Pooran and the dangerous Andre Fletcher in successive deliveries. Ahmad’s efforts resulted in figures of 2-11 while Irshad took and 2-24.

Jason Holder supported with 1-16.

However, the Gladiators' bowling unit proved even more formidable.

Pooran's strategic decision to deploy spinners upfront paid off immediately, as Imad Wasim and Fabien Allen secured the first two wickets for just 11 runs in the second over. Waqar Salamkheil then wreaked havoc in the Samp Army middle order, claiming remarkable figures of 3-6. Despite a quick-fire 31 from 14 balls by Karim Janat, who was eventually dismissed by Andre Russell, Samp Army found themselves at 64-5.

Needing 53 runs from the final 16 balls, Samp Army faced an insurmountable challenge, finishing on 89-6. The Gladiators' clinical performance paved the way for their advancement to the final, where they will once again lock horns with the New York Strikers in a battle for T10 supremacy on Saturday.

The Gladiators, champions of the last two editions of the tournament, posted 118-8 from their ten overs after being put in to bat by the Strikers.

Englishman Tom Kohler-Cadmore led the way for the Gladiators with 68 off 33 balls including four fours and six sixes while Andre Russell hit 17 off nine balls in support. Captain Nicholas Pooran (1), Andre Fletcher (2) and Fabian Allen (0) all failed to make significant contributions with the bat.

Sri Lankan Chamika Karunaratne took 3-25 from his two overs.

The Strikers were then reduced to 96-6 from their ten overs in reply.

Muhammad Waseem (26) and Asif Ali (24) were the main scorers for New York as Zahoor Khan bowled beautifully to finish with 2-12 from his two overs.

Allen, the left-arm spin-bowling allrounder, declined a retainer contract with Cricket West Indies earlier this year and has been absent for "personal reasons" throughout West Indies' home season.

He revealed in a statement that he had lost his father to cancer earlier this year, thanking CWI for their support throughout "a very difficult time for me and my family", and confirmed that he is available for international selection.

"I'd like to thank my family, friends and fans for their support over the past four months," Allen said.

"As some of you may know, I recently lost my father to cancer this year and it has been a very difficult time for me and my family. He was my biggest fan and I'm happy he got [to] see me live my dream as a professional cricketer. I will continue to make him proud,” he added.

Allen also thanked Cricket West Indies for their support while reiterating his desire for an international return.

"Cricket West Indies has been supportive throughout the entire process and I really want to thank Johnny Grave [chief executive] and Jimmy Adams [director of cricket] for their consideration. I want to use this opportunity to make it clear, I'll always want to represent my country and the West Indies,” he said.

"Even though I did not necessarily make it clear why I made myself unavailable for selection during the recent summer schedule, it was important for me to finish my grieving process and spend some time with my family. Most importantly, I've been getting myself physically and mentally ready for the CPL and hopefully the T20 World Cup (if selected) later this year. The best of Fabian Allen is yet to come. I know I have the ability to be one of the best batting allrounders in the world and I look forward to showcasing it for all to see," he added.

Allen was the leading run-scorer in the inaugural season of the 6ixty last week and he will represent Jamaica Tallawahs at the CPL, where he will hope to push for a place in West Indies' T20 World Cup squad.

The change to the West Indies squad has been approved by the ICC tournament’s technical committee.

Hosein, who was originally named as a travelling reserve, now joins the official squad. Another exciting young left-arm spinner, Gudakesh Motie, has been called up by the West Indies selectors as a reserve player. Motie is due to fly to the UAE where he will be able to join the West Indies squad as a reserve, once he has completed the six days of mandatory quarantine with the required negative COVID-19 test results.

“I know Fabian was really looking forward to playing in this World Cup, so it is very disappointing that he is forced to miss out. His all-round capabilities will be missed by the team. I would like to wish him a full and speedy recovery and look forward to him being available for squad selection in the near future,” said CWI Chief Selector Roger Harper.

“I take the opportunity to congratulate Akeal on being drafted into the 15-member squad and look forward to him continuing the good form he displayed throughout the year. I also congratulate Gudakesh Motie whose performances in CG Insurance Super50 and CPL have resulted in him being added to the reserves as spin bowling cover.”

CWI selectors have also requested that Dominic Drakes and Odean Smith stay back in the UAE following their recent IPL engagements. The two young fast bowlers will train with the West Indies squad as net bowlers during the squad’s preparations this week.

West Indies are two-time and defending ICC T20 World Cup Champions and will be going in search of an unprecedented third title and back-to-back T20 World Cup Tournament wins. West Indies first match is on Saturday, October 23 against England at the Dubai International Stadium in the first of West Indies’ Group games in the Super12 stage of the tournament.

FULL SQUAD: Kieron Pollard (Captain), Nicholas Pooran (Vice-Captain), Dwayne Bravo, Roston Chase, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Akeal Hosein, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Lendl Simmons, Oshane Thomas and Hayden Walsh Jr.

Travelling Reserves: Darren Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Jason Holder and Gudakesh Motie.

Allen suffered an ankle injury during the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and was in a race against time to be fit enough to bring his exciting talent to his very first World Cup. Pollard made that clear during a media session on Friday ahead of the West Indies final practice session ahead of Saturday’s encounter against England.

He's a big miss," Pollard. "Obviously, he was part of our plans throughout the entire home season. He's an exciting player, we know what he can do with the bat in the back end, the way he's electric in the field and of course his bowling. He's done a pretty decent job for us when he's gotten that opportunity, so yes, he's a big miss. It's very, very unfortunate for him, he's a young guy looking forward to playing in his first T20 World Cup, but that's the nature of sports and as a team, it's something we tend to bounce off pretty quickly and not sort of let those things keep us down.”

Notwithstanding Allen’s unavailability, Pollard believes Akeal Hosein is an adequate replacement for the multi-skilled Jamaican.

"We've got an able replacement in Akeal Hosein who has done himself a great deal of good with his performances in the CPL and in international cricket and ODI cricket,” Pollard said.

“Yes, he's young in his career but he takes on the mantle of bowling some difficult overs previously, so let's see what he can give to us and we're looking forward to the performances of all our spinners, bowlers and everyone."

The West Indies, who took the series 2-1, was staring possible defeat in the face at 105-7 after 17 overs, needing 27 from the last 18 balls but with only Kevin Sinclair and Obed McCoy to come. With Jason Holder at the other end and the West Indies needing 20 from the last two overs, Allen hit the first ball of the 19^th over bowled by Akila Dananjaya for six and then ran two leg byes off the second.

He then smashed the third ball for six and then took a single off the fourth. Holder took a single from the fifth, leaving Allen to face the last ball of the over with four runs needed for victory. Allen duly obliged with his third six of the over to end unbeaten on 21 off just six balls.

Holder was not out on 14.

Chasing 132 for victory, the West Indies were put in a spin by Hasaranga de Silva 2-13 and Lakshan Sandakan 3-29, who threatened to take the match away from the home side. The former removed Evin Lewis for 21 and Lendl Simmons for 26, both batsmen playing injudicious shots to the bowler, who prior to the start, had planned to see off.

Sandakan and Dushmantha Chameera (2-23) then combined to rip the heart out of the West Indies middle order. Sandakan bowled Chris Gayle for 13 early in the piece and then returned to bowl Rovman Powell for seven and then getting Dwayne Bravo caught at short fine leg for a golden duck from consecutive deliveries as the match headed towards a thrilling climax.  

Chameera had Kieron Pollard caught behind for a duck and then bowled Nicholas Pooran for 23 to leave the West Indies in a spot of bother at 95 for 5.

Dananjaya ended with regrettable figures of 0-53 from his four overs.

Earlier, an unbeaten fifth-wicket partnership of 85 from 63 balls between Dinesh Chandimal and Ashen Bandara helped take Sri Lanka from 46 for 4, after the West Indies bowlers had combined to restrict the visitors to 46 for 4 mid-way the 10^th over.

The pair took 13 off Dwayne Bravo’s final over to push the score to produce the highest fifth-wicket partnership for Sri Lanka to reach 131 for 4.

Chandimal’s unbeaten score of 54 came off 46 balls. He only hit three fours as he and his fellow batsmen were made to work hard by the West Indies bowlers, who produced a disciplined display.

Bandara’s 44 not out came from 35 balls hitting three fours and two sixes.

So restrictive was the home side’s attack they limited Sri Lanka to only eight fours and two sixes over the course of the 20-over allotment.

Fabian Allen, who returned figures of 1-13 from his four overs, took the first Sri Lankan wicket when he took a brilliant return catch to dismiss Danushka Gunathilaka for nine with only 10 runs on the board.

Nirsoshan Dickwella provided Kevin Sinclair (1-19) with his second wicket of the series caught by Jason Holder at wide mid-on for four as Sri Lanka crept to 15 for 2 in the fourth over.

Sinclair returned the favour when he took Pathum Nissanka at mid-off of Holder’s (1-27) short-of-a-length delivery for five to leave Sri Lanka struggling at 27 for 3.

Chandimal and Captain Angelo Matthews began to repair the damage with a stand of 19 when Matthews was caught behind off an Obed McCoy (1-29) delivery for 11. However, his dismissal opened the door to the record stand that took Sri Lanka’s to a competitive total at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.

The West Indies will now turn their attention to the ODI Series set to begin at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium at North Sound on March 10, 2021.

The CPL announced on Monday the seismic developments on Monday as it released the franchise pre-draft retentions and new signings for the coming season.

There were two pre-draft windows for the 2022 season. In the first window, each team could retain up to five Caribbean players with a maximum of two from the top five salary spots.

In the second window, teams were then given an opportunity to sign two more local players. These could be new signings from those who were not retained by other teams or players who appeared for that team in the previous season.

The Trinidad-based franchise has also retained captain Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Akeal Hosein, Jayden Seales and Tion Webster.

Meanwhile, defending champions St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, have brought in mercurial opening batsman Andre Fletcher and Darren Bravo to bolster their batting while retaining 2021 captain Dwayne Bravo, Evin Lewis, Sheldon Cottrell, Sherfane Rutherford and the hero of last season’s final Dominic Drakes.

The St Lucia Kings have acquired the services of explosive batsman Johnson Charles and Mark Deyal while retaining 2021 Player of the Tournament Roston Chase, Kesrick Williams, Alzarri Joseph, and Jeavor Royal.

Over in Barbados, the Royals have picked up the talented Obed McCoy and re-energized Devon Thomas and have retained their captain Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers, Hayden Walsh, Oshane Thomas and Nyeem Young.

Two-time champions, Jamaica Tallawahs have signed the exciting all-rounder Fabian Allen and opener Brandon King while retaining Rovman Powell, Kennar Lewis and Shamarh Brooks.

The Guyana Amazon Warriors added Keemo Paul and Gudakesh Motie while keeping Shimron Hetmyer, Odean Smith, Romario Shepherd, and Chandrapaul Hemraj.

The Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) finals will be hosted by Guyana for the next three years, starting in 2022. This is the first time the Hero CPL final will be held in Guyana and this long-term staging agreement will see the culmination of the tournament also taking place in Guyana in 2023 and 2024.

This season, Guyana will host seven group games, three knockout matches and the Hero CPL final which will take place on Friday, September 30 at The Guyana National Stadium in Providence.

The win was Bulls' third in a row, and placed them comfortably at the top of the table, at least for the time being.

Tigers were going fine at 28 for 2 after three overs, and with Jordan Cox, David Miller and Dasun Shanaka, among others, to follow, looked set to put up another big total after scoring 143 for 4 in their win over Dubai Gladiators on Thursday.

But Gleeson changed the script in the space of five balls in the fourth over, getting rid of Miller, Shanaka and Cox, in that order, to leave Tigers completely off-kilter at 29 for 5.

Between Daniel Sams (20 not out in 15 balls) and Carlos Brathwaite (21 in 17), Tigers did fight back to get to 81 for 7, but it was never going to be enough against Bulls' powerful batting line-up.

Quinton de Kock and Johnson Charles fell inside two overs, but James Vince (17 in nine), Rilee Rossouw (21* in 11) and captain Rovman Powell (37* in 11) made sure Bulls got to the target quickly - in just six overs.

For Tigers, it was a second loss in three games, and at the end of it, they were placed seventh on the eight-team table.

Earlier on Saturday, explosive 30s from captain Nicholas Pooran and Tom Kohler-Cadmore, followed by Andre Fletcher's 12-ball 41, set up a crushing win for Deccan Gladiators over Team Abu Dhabi.

Pooran dashed out of the blocks taking left-arm finger-spinner Roelof van der Merwe for two fours and two sixes in the first over. Rumman Raees then dealt a double-blow, removing both Pooran and Andre Russell off successive balls in the fourth over, but Kohler-Cadmore and Fletcher proceeded to re-establish Gladiators' dominance.

Six of the 12 balls that Fletcher faced were sent to the boundary, including five sixes. Fletcher, Fabian Allen and Kohler-Cadmore all fell in quick succession, but David Wiese provided the final flourish with 15 off six balls.

Abu Dhabi started their chase shakily, losing their top three inside five overs. Leus du Plooy (25), Colin Ingram (19) and captain Dwaine Pretorius (9), fought back to lend some respectability to the scorecard. Sri Lankan slinger Nuwan Thushara, who plays for Jaffna Kings in the LPL, was the pick of the bowlers for Gladiators, coming away with 2 for 5 in his two overs.

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Leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr has been named in the match-day squad while all-rounder Fabian Allen returns from an injury sustained in the recent series against South Africa. All-rounder Jason Holder is being rested for this series as part of his workload management, and he is expected to feature in upcoming One-Day Internationals and Test matches.

Roger Harper, Lead Selector said: “Hayden Walsh Jr adds variety and another wicket-taking option, while Fabian Allen, who was unavailable for the last game because of injury, returns. Considering the opposition, it is important that the team plays well in all departments, especially the batting, which needs to deliver more consistently.”

This CG Insurance T20I Series forms part of the West Indies’ World Cup preparation with a total of 15 T20Is to be played across three months in the build-up to the ICC T20 World Cup to be played from October 17 to November 14 in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

Fans in the Caribbean can watch exclusively live on Flow Sports or via the Flow Sports app. West Indies fans can also follow live ball-by-ball scoring in the www.windiescricket.com live match centre, featuring the new live match blog. Live radio commentary is available on a number of radio stations across the Caribbean and available worldwide, except in India and Bangladesh, on the Windies Cricket YouTube channel.

Fans in Australia can follow this match and the entire West Indies vs Australia CG Insurance T20I and ODI Series live on Foxtel’s Fox Cricket channel as well as via live stream on Kayo Sports.

Fully vaccinated patrons will be able to buy tickets for the series from the stadium ticket office at the East Gate on presentation of their vaccination documentation and their national ID, with tickets available at EC$50 per match. A three-match ticket promotion is available for just EC$120, with a special Series five-match season ticket special at EC$200.

FULL SQUAD: Kieron Pollard (Captain), Nicholas Pooran (Vice-Captain), Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Fidel Edwards, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Andre Russell, Lendl Simmons, and Hayden Walsh Jr.

Travelling Reserves: Akeal Hosein, Kevin Sinclair, and Oshane Thomas.

 Despite a tricky start with the bat the Amazon Warriors posted an imposing total of 210-7 with fifties for Shimron Hetmyer and Keemo Paul. In reply, the Tallawahs top order succumbed to the bowling of Romario Shepherd with five wickets falling inside the first seven overs.

 A brilliant partnership between Imad Wasim and Fabian Allen saw the Tallawahs recover from 36-5 to 133-6 but the damage caused by those early wickets could not be repaired.

 The Jamaica Tallawahs started brilliantly with the ball, claiming two wickets inside the first over. The first man to go was Hazratullah Zazai who made a two-ball duck on his CPL debut when he cut a ball from Chris Green to Imad Wasim at point. When Saim Ayub edged a ball from Mohammad Amir through to the keeper the score was 7-2 and the Amazon Warriors were in danger of losing the game inside the PowerPlay.

Azam Khan hit a huge six but was dismissed for just seven when he was brilliantly caught by Salman Irshad who claimed a diving effort on the third-man boundary, but from there it was all about the Warriors batting.

Shai Hope made an attractive 25 and shared a 50-run stand with Shimron Hetmyer, but the fireworks really started with Keemo Paul walked to the crease. Hetmyer and Paul put on 99-run stand from just 47 balls with both men passing 50. Paul was dismissed for a career best 57 while Hetmyer made a blistering 60.

 It was left to Romario Shepherd and Dwaine Pretorius to take the Warriors past 200 as they set a target of 211.

It was always going to be a stiff ask but when Romario Shepherd bowled a double wicket maiden it made things very hard for the Tallawahs. Shepherd would go on to finish with figures of 3-7 from his three overs.

 The stand between Allen and Imad was full of attacking shots but with the required rate getting unmanageble there was too much left for them to do. When Imad was dismissed for 63 by Imran Tahir the required rate was up to 20 runs an over.

 Allen fell for 47 and with him any slim hopes of a Tallawahs win departed as the Jamaican side finished on 176 all out.

 Scores: Guyana Amazon Warriors 210/7 (Hetmyer 60, Paul 57; Amir 3-33, Green 2-28) beat Jamaica Tallawahs 176 all out (Imad Wasim 63, Allen 47; Shepherd 3-7, J Sinclair 2-17) by 34 runs