By Frederick Halley
AFTER an agonising wait, the ninth edition of the Prime Minister (PM) Softball T20 Cup, organised by the Georgetown Softball Cricket League (GSCL) Inc., in conjunction with the Office of the Prime Minister, bowls off tomorrow when the men take to the field following the women’s elimination games today.
First played in 2017, the tournament, which should have been celebrating its 10th edition this year, was instead replaced by the first-ever Unification Cup in 2025.
The three-day extravaganza, which features several local teams and the lone overseas representative in New York Softball Cricket League (NYSCL) is set to be staged at several venues across the city and East Coast and climaxes with all four finals – Women, Open All Class, Masters Over-40 and Legends Over-50 at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary on Sunday.
Three of the four defending champions are back to defend their championship honours – Linden’s Supreme Stars in the women’s category, Ariel/Trophy Stall Masters in the Masters Over-40 and Jai Hind Legends in the Legends Over-50.
Ariel Guyana Knight Riders who reigned supreme in the All Stars Open in 2024, have since teamed up with Speedboat, to form Speedboat/Ariel All Stars, making them a formidable combination but are likely to face stiff opposition in the category from Regal All Stars and Name Brand/Corriverton.
In recent years, the Over-50 have been increasingly gaining more interest and with the likes of defending champions Jai Hind Legends, Regal Legends, who have won more championships in this category than any other teams in and out of Guyana, NYSCL, Parika Defenders, Fisherman Legends and Corriverton Legends in the fray, some mouth-watering contests are expected.
The winners in the Legends Over-50 will waltz away with the grand first prize of $800, 000 and a trophy and the runners-up will receive $200,000 and a trophy. In addition, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the division will take home a three-piece living room suite, the player scoring the most runs will be awarded one floor-model dispenser and the bowler with the most wickets will receive one microwave.
The successful team in the Masters Over-40 are assured of $5000,000 and the winners’ trophy, while the runners-up will receive $200,000 and the runners-up trophy. The MVP takes home a refrigerator, the player with the most runs – a floor-model water dispenser and the bowler with the most wickets a microwave.
In the All Stars Open, the winners will also receive $800,000 and a trophy and the runners-up $200,000 and a trophy. The MVP gets a washing machine, the player with the most runs will walk away with a floor-model water dispenser and the bowler with the most wickets will take home a microwave.
The victorious women’s side carts off $400, 000 and the runners-up $200, 000. Several incentive prizes are also up for grabs in the category. The MVP will take home a four-burner gas stove, the player with the most runs will receive a floor-model water dispenser and the bowler with the most wickets will be awarded a microwave.
All the respective players of the finals are also guaranteed trophies.
The women will be competing over 15overs, using the Supreme balls, donated by Trophy Stall while the men will use the larger white Trophy Stall balls in their 20-over contests.
Trophy Stall, through its generous proprietor, Ramesh Sunich, is also once again donating all the trophies for the 2026 edition of the tournament.
