THE 2025 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season culminates tonight at the National Stadium, Providence, as the home side, Guyana Amazon Warriors, faces the Trinbago Knight Riders in a highly anticipated final. Both teams are poised for a classic showdown, with coaches from both sides expressing confidence in their players’ readiness for the monumental occasion.
Speaking ahead of the clash, Amazon Warriors Head Coach Lance Klusener and TKR Assistant Coach Ottis Gibson confirmed their players understand the magnitude of the task and are ready to leave it all on the field to lift the title.
The Amazon Warriors are gunning for their second CPL title, having reached the final an impressive eight times. Meanwhile, the formidable Trinbago Knight Riders are in their sixth final, chasing a fifth championship and their first since 2020. The match is set to begin at 20:00 hours local time.
The final pits two of the tournament’s most in-form players against each other: the evergreen Shai Hope and the sensational newcomer Usman Tariq.
Once pegged as a Test and ODI specialist, Hope has successfully reinvented himself as a T20 run machine. He has consistently earned high-profile gigs in T20 leagues worldwide, including the IPL and the BBL.
He has been a rock at number three for the Amazon Warriors, topping the tournament’s run-scoring charts with 479 runs in 11 innings at an average of over 50 and a strike rate of over 130.
His form gives his team a significant advantage and bodes well for the West Indies as they prepare for next year’s T20 World Cup.
Conversely, Usman Tariq has emerged as a rare talent, often outshining even the great Sunil Narine with his off-spin. Tariq’s unique delivery action, which sees him come to a near-complete halt before releasing the ball, has made it incredibly difficult for batters to pick him.
Having also stepped up to bowl at the death, the spinner quickly established himself as a key weapon for TKR in his first T20 stint outside the PSL.
The Amazon Warriors are unlikely to change their winning formula unless pace sensation Shamar Joseph is deemed fit. If he gets the nod, he could replace Hassan Khan. There are also concerns over Dwaine Pretorius, who is nursing a niggle, but Klusener is confident the South African all-rounder will be “fine” for the final.