The ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) has announced a schedule adjustment ahead of its inaugural tournament, which is set to take place at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. The final will now be held on Friday, 6 December 2024, while the match between Hampshire Hawks and Victoria has been rescheduled to 10:00 AM on Thursday, 5 December 2024.

The tournament, featuring five teams—Guyana Amazon Warriors, Hampshire Hawks, Lahore Qalandars, Rangpur Riders, and Victoria—kicks off on Tuesday, 26 November 2024.

Sir Clive Lloyd, Chairman of the GSL, explained that the schedule changes were made in consultation with Cricket West Indies to avoid potential clashes with preparations for the West Indies' ODI series against Bangladesh.

“While the squads for the West Indies ODI series against Bangladesh have not yet been announced, we wanted to ensure that there was no chance of a clash between the conclusion of the GSL and the preparations for that series,” Lloyd said. “This decision has been made after discussions with Cricket West Indies to ensure the integrity of both the West Indies vs Bangladesh series and the GSL.”

Ticket holders for the affected matches can still use their existing tickets for entry. Those unable to attend the rescheduled games will be eligible for a full refund.

Revised Schedule for the 2024 Global Super League
26 November, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Lahore Qalandars
27 November, 7:00 PM: Hampshire Hawks vs Rangpur Riders
29 November, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Victoria
30 November, 10:00 AM: Hampshire Hawks vs Lahore Qalandars
1 December, 10:00 AM: Rangpur Riders vs Victoria
1 December, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Hampshire Hawks
3 December, 7:00 PM: Victoria vs Lahore Qalandars
4 December, 7:00 PM: Guyana Amazon Warriors vs Rangpur Riders
5 December, 10:00 AM: Hampshire Hawks vs Victoria
5 December, 7:00 PM: Lahore Qalandars vs Rangpur Riders
6 December, 7:00 PM: Final – First Place vs Second Place

Defending Champions Red Force Lead Star-Studded Semifinal Line-Up In CG United Super50 Cup

 The stage is set for an exciting conclusion to the 2024 CG United Super50 Cup, as four teams emerged from a rain-affected but highly competitive round-robin phase.

Thrilling encounters lie ahead as table-toppers Trinidad & Tobago Red Force, Jamaica Scorpions, Leeward Islands Hurricanes and Barbados Pride vie for regional limited-overs glory.

Defending champions Trinidad & Tobago Red Force demonstrated why they remain the team to beat, with five wins from their seven matches, building their campaign on exceptional spin bowling and consistent batting performances.

Khary Pierre, who took an exceptional 4-8 in their opening match, Yannic Cariah, and Bryan Charles have proven to be effective bowlers, while the batting partnership of Kjorn Ottley and Amir Jangoo flourished. Their recent win over Barbados Pride, featuring Ottley's unbeaten 112, sent a strong message to the rest of the semifinal line-up.

Jamaica Scorpions recovered from an opening loss to Barbados Pride to secure second place. Carlos Brown's maiden List A century (121) against Combined Colleges and Campuses (CCC) marked a turning point in their campaign, while Kirk McKenzie's consistent performances and Marquino Mindley's penetrative bowling have provided crucial contributions.

The Leeward Islands Hurricanes have been one of the tournament's most entertaining sides, largely due to Justin Greaves' historic achievement of three consecutive List A centuries (111*, 112, 151*). Their bowling attack, typified by Rahkeem Cornwall's two six-wicket hauls, with the most recent his 6/20 against CCC, provided a perfect complement to their batting strength. Despite three losses, their bonus points collection showed their ability to dominate matches at important times.

Barbados Pride earned their semifinal berth with their ability to win close encounters. Kevin Wickham's century against the Hurricanes and Demetrius Richards' match-winning 65* versus Guyana highlighted their batting depth while captain Kyle Mayers' last-over heroics against the Volcanoes exemplified their fighting spirit.

Cricket West Indies’ Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe commented:

This year’s CG United Super50 has already been an improvement over previous years. Teams have been more responsive to the bonus points system and it showed in the quality of the performances. There have been a number of stellar performances and I anticipate a few more as we get to the climax over the next few days. Cricket fans in Trinidad should capitalise on the action and show support in person, as the teams bring this year’s tournament to a close.
The semifinals will be held at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad on Wednesday 20 November and Thursday 21 November, with the final scheduled for Saturday 23 November at the same venue and time.

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force will oppose Barbados Pride at 1pm on Wednesday 20 November, while the Jamaica Scorpions take on Leeward Islands Hurricanes at 1pm on Thursday 21st November.

Teams will be competing for increased prize money with the winners set to receive US$100 000, while the runners-up will take home US$50 000. Both semi-finalists will be rewarded US$25 000 each.

Fans will be able to watch the semifinals and final live on ESPN Caribbean. Overseas fans can catch the action on ESPN+ (USA), BT Sport (UK & Ireland), and FanCode (India).

Tickets are available for all matches at both Queen’s Park Oval and Brian Lara Cricket Academy. Semi-final tickets cost US$8 / TT$50, with final tickets at US$15 / TT$100. Tickets are also available online at www.tickets.windiescricket.com.

Despite a 3-1 loss to England in their recent five-match series, West Indies captain Rovman Powell and Shai Hope were both successful in making moves up the ICC Men’s T20I Rankings.

Hope, who was brought in for the last three games in St Lucia, moved 16 spots up to 21st on 599 rating points, following his half-century in the penultimate contest, and he also looked steady in the last contest before rain had the final say.

Powell, who had three tidy knocks of 43, 54, and 38 in the series, inched one place up to 33 on 575 rating points.

Though slipping three places, Nicholas Pooran remains the best-ranked West Indies batsman (624 rating points) at 12, a position he now shares with Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis and Australia’s Josh Inglis.

Brandon King is the next best Caribbean batsman on the list, though he too slipped three places to 16th on 613 rating points. Johnson Charles (587 rating points), who slipped seven spots to 26th, is the only other West Indies batsman in the top 50.

Meanwhile, India’s Hardik Pandya returned to the top of the T20I All-rounders Rankings after making significant contributions to his team’s successful, 3-1 series triumph over South Africa. It is his second time at the top of this list this year, the first time following India’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup victory in the USA and West Indies.

Pandya moved two places to reach the top with 244 rating points, swapping places with England’s Liam Livingstone, who slipped to third place with 230 points, just one point shy of Nepal’s Dipendra Airee, who holds second place with 231 points.

Tilak Varma’s sensational exploits with the bat for India saw him leap 69 slots to the top 10 of the batters list for the first time, taking over third place with 806 points from his skipper, Suryakumar Yadav, who fell one spot to take fourth.

Sanju Samson also made significant gains after his remarkable back-to-back centuries, jumping 17 spaces to 22nd place among the batters.

South Africa’s Marco Jansen shot up 65 spots to reach a career-best 14th position among the all-rounders, with his captain, Aiden Markram, moving up one place to number nine. Their teammate, Tristan Stubbs, continued his rise among the batters, rising three places to 23rd.

The bowlers list saw a lot of movement as well, with Australia’s Adam Zampa and Nathan Ellis making significant gains following their three-match series sweep against Pakistan. Zampa rose five slots to third place with 693 points, while Ellis mounted 15 slots to 11th on 628 points.

India’s Arshdeep Singh went up three places to ninth position (656 points), with teammate Axar Patel sailing 10 spots to 13th (632 points), while Pakistan’s Haris Rauf went from 24th to 20th with 601 points. Marco Jansen also featured with a 20-slot jump to 25th place among the bowlers with 576 points.

Hayley Matthews has always dreamed of parading her skills in cricket's longest format. As such, the West Indies women's captain, one of the best players in the world, expressed delight about the Caribbean side's return to playing Test match cricket as they are set to face Australia in 2026.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) made the announcement recently as they unveiled the Women’s Future Tour Programme. This will mark the 50th anniversary of West Indies women’s Test cricket since the first Test between the two countries was played in Jamaica in May 1976.

West Indies women's last Test match was away to Pakistan in 2004.

“Test cricket is something I’ve always dreamed of. Wearing the whites with the badge on your chest would mean a lot. Test cricket is the pinnacle of the game, so being afforded the opportunity to wear whites and put on that ‘baggy’ maroon cap is going to be a huge honour,” Matthews said in an interview with Philip Spooner, the former Head of Media at Cricket West Indies.

“When I heard Test cricket was announced, I was very excited. Playing Test cricket has been an ambition of mine for a very long time, so to be able to get this opportunity to play a few Tests over the next few years is something I’m looking forward to,” she added from her base in Australia.

Matthews is currently on another stint with the Melbourne Renegades in the 10th edition of the Women’s Big Bash League. Her best outing so far was against the Adelaide Strikers when she took two for 28 from four overs and made a match-winning 85 not out off 54 balls in the big win.

She pointed out that there was great anticipation among the other players, and she hoped the fans would come out and embrace the longest format.

“There has obviously been a lot of talk over the last year or two about us playing Test cricket, seeing that so many of the other teams are also playing Test matches. Now that it is confirmed for us, we are very happy it has been locked into the schedule,” Matthew said.

“I hope it does excite the fans a lot. Women’s cricket has grown a lot in the West Indies in recent years, and fans have been paying a lot of attention and focusing on our games. Hopefully, we can have a lot of success before we reach that Test, specifically the ICC Women’s World Cup next year (in India), and that would entice the fans to come out and support us even more," she noted.

The ICC Future Tours Programme also shows the West Indies playing Tests against England in 2027 and in South Africa in 2028, which would mark the first contest between the two teams.

West Indies captain Rovman Powell was candid in his assessment of his team’s shortcomings following their 3-1 series loss to England in the recently concluded five-match T20 International series.

Powell acknowledged the challenges the team faced in adapting to conditions early in the series but remained optimistic about their upcoming clashes with Bangladesh. This, as he believes, the Caribbean side once again showed glimpses of its potential throughout the series but were unable to consistently produce a complete performance.

In fact, England’s decision to bowl first in the opening three matches—two at Kensington Oval in Barbados and one at the Darren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia—exposed the West Indies' struggles to navigate challenging conditions.

They lost key wickets in quick succession during the powerplay in all three games, where they posted scores of 182-9, 158-8, and 145-8 and lost by eight wickets, seven wickets, and three wickets in that order.

As such, Powell admitted the team’s inability to adapt cost them dearly. 

“I think we always, as a batting group, have a template that we try to work with; unfortunately, the template didn’t work in our first few games. It took us about two or three games to really wonder what’s really happening to us as a batting group, and we also need to sharpen up on a few areas as a bowling group,” Powell said after the rain-affected final game at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground.

While he views their victory in the fourth T20I when they pulled off a historic chase of England’s 218-5, scoring 221-5 to secure a five-wicket win as light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, that win was merely to salvage some pride.

It is with that in mind that Powell highlighted the importance of quicker assessment and adaptability as key takeaways from the series. 

“As a team, we need to assess a little bit faster. We didn’t play good cricket for long enough periods, and that made it a tough series. I think a lot of credit has to be given to Jos [Buttler] and his team; they really came in our conditions and dominated,” the Jamaican stated.

Despite the loss, Powell, who was among the standout performers, finishing as the series’ second-highest run scorer with 153 runs, is determined to build on the positives from the England series as they shift focus to the upcoming three-match T20I series against Bangladesh next month.

“The way we played the last (fourth game) showed that we can play really good cricket. If we had just assessed the conditions a little bit earlier in the series, it possibly would have been a different outcome. These are lessons to be learned,” Powell noted.

Sri Lanka wrapped up a 2-0 series win over New Zealand after the third ODI was rained off in Pallekele.

Will Young (56 not out) and Henry Nicholls (46 not out) had the Black Caps trundling along nicely at 112-1 after 21 overs on Tuesday, with Tim Robinson having been dismissed for nine by Mohamed Shiraz (1-23).

But the rain closed in at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, and did not let up.

Eventually, the umpires had to call off play completely, denying New Zealand the chance to restore some pride after their opening two defeats.

Data Debrief: Rain sees the good run roll on

Sri Lanka have lost only one of their last nine ODIs (W6 T1) – an eight-wicket loss against West Indies (26 October 2024).

New Zealand's Young at least was able to celebrate a ninth ODI half-century, while Nicholls fell just short of a 17th 50 in the format.

Stuart Clark believes Australia's "world-class" fast bowlers will be the key to beating India ahead of their upcoming Test series.

India are looking to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in their five-match series, having triumphed 2-1 in the teams' last meeting in 2022-23.

Meanwhile, Australia, playing their first Test match since March, have not tasted success in a series against India since 2014-15.

India are coming off the back of a heavy defeat to New Zealand in the longest format though, and Clark, who represented Australia between 2006 and 2009, thinks their bowlers have the ability to cause real problems.

"Well, I think the three fast bowlers, I think they need to play as much as possible," he told Stats Perform. "They're world-class.

"They're the best quartet of bowlers in the history of the game if you throw Lyon in there. So, you got three fast bowlers and [Nathan] Lyon. So, I think those three fast bowlers in particular need to stay fit, and they need to stay healthy.

"We've seen when they have been fit and healthy and in good form. [Josh] Hazlewood, [Mitchell] Starc and [Pat] Cummins, they have dominated other teams around the world. And then you come to Australia on the bouncy pitches that we have here, and they go straight to Perth, which is just a baptism of fire. I think that will be the big key.

"And then you got, I don't think Rohit Sharma's coming for the first two games, I think he's missing the first two games for family reasons. [Virat] Kohli hasn't been in the best of form. The spinners in [Ravindra] Jadeja and Ravi Ashwin aren't as effective in Australia as they are in the subcontinent.

"So, from that point of view, there's a few of those little byplays or little storylines that are going on. But coming back to my first point is that the three fast bowlers, they hold a big key to the success in this tour, in the series."

India's recent defeat to New Zealand was the first time they lost a Test series 3-0 on home soil in their history and the first time they have lost three red-ball matches in any singles home series since 1983.

In Australia, India will be without Rohit Sharma, who stayed at home for the birth of his second child, for the first Test, while Shubman Gill is also set to miss out with a fractured thumb.

Clark noted that their absences, along with the recent struggles of Kohli, who managed just 93 runs across his six innings in the New Zealand series, will come as a confidence boost as Australia aim to snap their losing run against India.

"They should take confidence from that [India loss]," he added. "India haven't been beaten by anyone in you know who knows how long.

"So, they are so good in their conditions, and they're so foreign to everyone else. But it probably shows the vulnerability of the Indian team - they're probably at the point where they're starting to go through a bit of a generational change with their batting.

"They've been around for a long period of time. They're not in the best form that they've ever been in. So that's starting to cause them some concerns.

"[Jasprit] Bumrah has been injured. He's back. He's world-class. There's no question about that. But can he get through five Test matches? [Mohammed] Siraj has been around.

"So, there's some questions again around the Indian cricket team. And how much has that form in India dented their confidence because like all things in sport, if you're confident about what you're doing, that makes a massive difference to the way you play.

Test cricket will "die" without regular meetings between Australia, India and England, former Aussie bowler Stuart Clark warned.

Australia face India in five Tests between 22 November and 7 January, with the first match set to begin in Perth later this week.

India will be looking to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after triumphing 2-1 on home soil in the teams' last series in 2022-23.

But Clark, who represented Australia between 2006 and 2009, believes the upcoming series has even greater significance due to the growing popularity of short-form and franchise cricket.

Speaking exclusively to Stats Perform, the former bowler warned the traditional format needs competitive meetings between Australia, India and England to maintain fan interest. 

"If you compare to what we've just seen with this one-day series, people are still pretty interested in Australia – or at least in England and India – about Test cricket," he said.

"But there's a bigger story around Test cricket in that the international summer is only important to those three countries, whereas a lot of these other countries around the world, they're actually funded by their T20 tournaments, that's where they make their money.

"Whereas Australia, England, India it's in reverse. I think for the the greater good of the game, Australia, India and England need to really try and promote Test cricket and that's the biggest story to all of this. 

"You know the Ashes will always exist because there's such a big rivalry and they want to beat Australia. 

"But the bigger problem is what happens if India or Australia become weak and don't want to play one another? Or England become weak and don't want to play India?" 

With Australia set to host the next Ashes series in 2025-26, Clark is aware of the need for Pat Cummins' team to test themselves against top-calibre opposition. 

"If Test cricket doesn't remain the priority for those countries, then test cricket really dies. That's what no one wants to see, and the players are pretty adamant about that as well," he continued. 

"Look at South Africa, look at West Indies. This series out here against India is a really big series, as it should be. 

"Hopefully it's competitive and hopefully Australia win, but what we want it to be is competitive to try and grow that game. 

"It's such an important series. These next two summers really set the tone for the following two summers, which are usually pretty dour." 

The touring Bangladesh side and the West Indies Select XI played to a draw in their two-day tour match at the Coolidge Cricket Ground on Monday. Rain disruptions and a dominant display by Bangladesh’s bowlers on the second day ensured the match ended without a result.

Resuming from their overnight score of 5 for 1 in response to Bangladesh's first-innings total of 253-7, the West Indies Select XI struggled to find their footing. The hosts were restricted to 87-9 in just 27.4 overs, with only Kimani Melius (23), Justin Greaves (20), and Daniel Beckford (19) reaching double figures.

Bangladesh's bowlers were relentless, led by Hasan Murad, who delivered a remarkable spell, taking three wickets for just one run. Hasan Mahmud and Taskin Ahmed chipped in with two wickets apiece, ensuring the West Indies XI could not mount a significant challenge.

On Sunday, Bangladesh’s innings was anchored by contributions from Jaker Ali (48), Mahidal Islam (41), and 31 each from Litton Das and Mominul Haque. The visiting team posted a competitive 253-7 despite tight bowling from Jair McAllister and Chaim Holder, both finishing with figures of 2-48.

While the match provided valuable preparation for Bangladesh, the rain-affected nature of the contest limited opportunities for extended play. The touring side will take heart from their bowlers’ performance, while they prepare to face the West Indies senior team.

Australia signed off on their T20I series against Pakistan in style after racing to a seven-wicket win with almost nine overs in hand in Monday's third match.

The hosts had already sealed a series success thanks to Spencer Johnson's five-for in Saturday's second match, and any hopes Pakistan had of taking a consolation win were dashed by a dismal performance with the bat in Hobart.

Pakistan were bundled out for just 117 as Aaron Hardie finished with figures of 3-21 and Johnson (2-24) and Adam Zampa (2-11) also dismissed two apiece for Australia.

Babar Azam's knock had put Pakistan in a decent position at 61-1 through six overs, but when Haseebullah Khan handed Matthew Short a simple catch off Zampa's spin ball, the wickets began to tumble with ease.

Pakistan's next five wickets fell for just 31 further runs, with seven of their batters finishing in single figures and four managing one run or fewer, with Babar (41) the only batter to score above 30.

Australia lost Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk early but Marcus Stoinis took any jeopardy out of the chase by scoring an unbeaten 61 runs off 27 balls, with his stand including five fours and five maximums.

Stoinis was unwilling to hang around, smashing Haris Rauf for 22 runs in an over to take Australia to the brink.

He then hit Shaheen Shah Afridi for 19 in the penultimate over as the hosts got the job done with 52 balls remaining.

Data Debrief: Quick and easy for Stoinis

Australia could have taken their time after being set such a paltry target, but Stoinis was determined to put on a show for those present at the Bellerive Oval. 

Only twice has he bettered his knock of 61 in T20Is – versus New Zealand in 2021 (78) and against Oman at the World Cup earlier this year (67*). His strike rate of 225.92, while ruthless, falls some way short of his T20I best of 327.77 versus Sri Lanka in 2022 (59 off 18).

Pakistan's Babar, meanwhile, is now second on the all-time list of T20I run scorers with 4,192 to his name, having overtaken Virat Kohli. Only Rohit Sharma (4,231) is ahead of him.

Jos Buttler is pleased to have England's "winning habit back" after securing a 3-1 T20I series win over West Indies, with the final match abandoned due to rain.

England had opted to bowl and the hosts reached 44-0 through Evin Lewis (29) and Shai Hope (14) after five overs before the downpour began in St Lucia.

Despite ground staff's attempts to clear the surface, the match was abandoned, with England claiming the win, having lost the ODI leg of the tour 2-1.

The tourists had won the first three T20Is, with the West Indies earning a consolation on Saturday in a high-scoring clash. Despite not finishing their final white-ball assignment of 2024, Buttler was delighted with the work his side have done this week.

"We're delighted with the series win. We've played some brilliant cricket," Buttler said.

"I've been happy with how we've started games, setting the tone with the powerplay wickets, as we've seen from Saqib being named player of the series. We've had lots of different guys chipping in at various times, so I'm really pleased for everybody.

"The fast-bowling department is looking good, and they all bring something different with their variety, so it's exciting for English cricket to have that.

"I enjoyed it [being captain without keeping], I felt like I had a bit more time, and it was nice to be out there running around and closer to the bowlers. I got everything I wanted to out of doing that.

"It's great to have the winning habit back."

West Indies struggled to carry over their ODI form into the T20I series but were looking to restore some pride in the final match, having impressed in the fourth. Captain Rovman Powell is now hoping they can find some consistency.

"It's been a tough series and credit Jos Buttler and his team, who came to these conditions and dominated. Having said that, we played good cricket in patches but not in long enough periods," he said.

"I think we always, as a batting group, use a template, but that didn't work in our first few games. As a team, we need to assess faster. It took us two or three games. The bowling group needs to sharpen up in a few areas.

"It's always a problem with the Caribbean cricketers, we always wander off when we are not playing for West Indies. It's a treadmill, and we don't spend time together. We have to keep our communication with players and ensure they are ready to go."

Kusal Mendis' unbeaten 74 helped Sri Lanka clinch an ODI series win over New Zealand with a three-wicket victory in the second match.

Rain shortened the match to 47 overs a side, and Sri Lanka took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series with six balls remaining.

New Zealand's innings were disrupted by the weather, with Sri Lanka's spinners taking advantage of the slowed momentum around the stoppages despite Will Young's (26) steady start.

Mark Chapman (76) and Mitchell Hay (49) gave the tourists some hope, but Maheesh Theekshana (3-31) and Jeffrey Vandersay (3-46) took three wickets apiece as they halted New Zealand at 209, with Glenn Phillips (15) the only other batter to hit double figures.

After Avishka Fernando's early dismissal, Mendis was a mainstay for Sri Lanka and ultimately proved the difference.

Michael Bracewell (4-36) did his best to rally New Zealand, but they fell just short thanks to an eighth-wicket stand of 47 off 59 balls between Mendis and Theekshana.

Data Debrief: Running it back

It is the first time since 2012 that Sri Lanka have won an ODI series against New Zealand, while it is the first time they have won back-to-back ODIs against the Black Caps since November that year.

Sri Lanka also made a welcome return to winning ways at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium - they had lost their most recent match in this format at the venue to West Indies back in October.

Guyanese spinner Gudakesh Motie has been named as part of the Guyana Amazon Warriors squad for the inaugural ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL), scheduled to run from November 26 to December 7, 2024. Motie, a consistent performer for the Warriors since his debut in 2021, will bring his experience and skill to a formidable squad as they compete for a US$1 million prize fund.

Motie’s contributions have been integral to the Amazon Warriors’ success over the years. In the recently concluded 2024 Caribbean Premier League (CPL), he emerged as the team’s leading wicket-taker, claiming 17 wickets at an impressive average of 18.64. His consistency helped propel the Warriors to the CPL final, continuing his strong form from the previous year when they clinched the championship in 2023.

The 29-year-old spinner joins a talented roster of Guyanese players, including Shimron Hetmyer, Romario Shepherd, and Keemo Paul, as the Amazon Warriors prepare to face off against international teams Hampshire Hawks, Lahore Qalandars, Rangpur Riders, and Victoria.

The Global Super League marks a significant development in international T20 cricket, with the tournament drawing teams from around the world to Guyana’s National Stadium at Providence. Over 11 matches, the participating teams will battle for the title and a share of the lucrative prize pool.

As a local star with international pedigree, Motie’s inclusion strengthens the Amazon Warriors’ chances in this inaugural competition. The spinner is known for his ability to control the game in the middle overs, a skill that will be crucial against top-tier opposition in the GSL.

Motie, along with the rest of the Amazon Warriors squad, will aim to leverage home advantage as they seek to make history in this first-of-its-kind tournament. The Global Super League promises to showcase the best of T20 cricket while providing a platform for local talent to shine on the international stage.

Fans of the Amazon Warriors and cricket enthusiasts across Guyana are eagerly awaiting the action-packed tournament, which is expected to further elevate the region’s reputation as a hub for world-class cricket.

Rovman Powell hailed West Indies' commitment after claiming the first win of their T20 series against England on Saturday.

The hosts successfully chased their target of 219 in St Lucia to stop the rot in the five-match series, reducing the deficit to 3-1. 

West Indies won the toss and elected to field, though England did their best to make the most of the flat pitch.

Phil Salt's contribution of 55 set the tourists on their way, while captain Jos Buttler chipped in with 38, and Jacob Bethell hit an unbeaten 62 - reaching his latest half-century off just 22 balls.

England finished at 218-5, but West Indies hit the ground running in their chase as Evin Lewis (68) and Shai Hope (54) notched up 136 from the first nine overs.

However, the hosts' momentum stalled when Rehan Ahmed caught Lewis, Hope was run out and Nicholas Pooran bowled for a duck in as many balls.

Nevertheless, skipper Powell got them back on track with 38 from 23 deliveries and, though he was dismissed in the 17th over, back-to-back sixes from Sherfane Rutherford in the penultimate over sealed a five-wicket victory.

"The guys were a little bit more committed today, and the toss fell in our hands," Powell said. "It's been a series where, once you win the toss, you seem to win the game. But, the guys played well."

"It was an excellent wicket, and we got off to a great start with our openers putting them under plenty of pressure," Buttler added. "We thought we needed at least 220, and then their openers played exceptionally well, too."

Half-centuries from openers Shai Hope and Evin Lewis propelled West Indies to a stunning five-wicket victory over England as they chased down a mammoth 219-run target in the penultimate contest of their five-match T20I series at the Darren Sammy Stadium on Saturday.

Hope (54) and Lewis (68) set the tone with a record-breaking 136-run stand off a mere 55 balls that paved the way for a famous win and, by extension, etched the chase into the history books as the highest ever at the venue and the second-highest in West Indies T20I history.

Lewis had four boundaries and seven maximums in his 30-ball knock, while Hope’s 24-ball innings had seven fours and three sixes. Captain Rovman Powell (38) and Sherfane Rutherford, with an unbeaten 29, were the only other scores in double figures.

The win saw the Caribbean team salvaging some pride as England still hold an unassailable 3-1 lead heading into Sunday’s final encounter.

Scores: West Indies 221-5 (19 overs); England 218-5 (20overs)

West Indies’ response to England's formidable 218 for 5 was nothing short of spectacular. Despite a slow start, with just five runs off the opening over, Hope and Lewis exploded into action in the third over bowled by debutant John Turner.

Lewis launched the assault with a towering six, followed by a flurry of boundaries from Hope that turned the tide firmly in the hosts' favour. 

Hope reached his half-century off just 23 balls, as he combined sublime timing with power, while Lewis joined the party with a blistering 26-ball fifty of his own. The pair dismantled England's bowling attack, racking up 10 sixes and 11 fours in the opening stand. 

Lewis’s standout moment came in the eighth over when he smashed a 105-meter six off Liam Livingstone, followed by another in a 30-run over that left England reeling.

Though Lewis departed when he holed out to Dan Mousley off Rehan Ahmed, the damage was done, despite the drama that followed his dismissal.

Hope was then run out in a chaotic sequence that saw West Indies lose two wickets in as many balls, as Nicholas Pooran (zero) was bowled off a googly from Ahmed immediately after.

Shimron Hetmyer’s brief cameo ended with a sharp catch by Livingstone, who later left the field with an apparent knee injury.

However, Powell steadied the innings with a quick-fire 38 off 23 balls, including three sixes and two fours, before falling to John Turner. His contribution, however, ensured that the West Indies remained in control, requiring only 23 runs off the final 21 deliveries. 

Rutherford, who lofted a six down the ground off Mousley, brought the equation within striking distance and then unleashed a powerful slog over deep midwicket to clinch victory in dramatic style. Roston Chase was also unbeaten on nine.

Ahmed ended with 3-43 from his four overs.

Earlier, England's innings, led by Phil Salt’s 55 off 35 balls and Jacob Bethell’s unbeaten 62 off 32, appeared daunting.

Salt, who had five fours and four sixes in his 35-ball knock, and Will Jacks (25) added 53 in just 4.2 overs, while Bethell’s late blitz, including three consecutive sixes off Chase, propelled England to a venue-record-equalling 218-5.

Bethell had five maximums and four boundaries in his unbeaten 32-ball knock. Captain Jos Buttler (32) and Sam Curran (24) also got in on the act.

However, West Indies bowlers, despite early punishment, found key breakthroughs. Alzarri Joseph and Gudakesh Motie struck at crucial junctures, while Chase and Motie held their nerve in the middle overs to prevent England from running away with the game. 

Motie was the pick of the pack with 2-40 from his four.