Hetmyer's record-equalling hundred powers Warriors past TKR in rain-hit thriller

Shimron Hetmyer produced one of the most destructive innings of the Caribbean Premier League season as Guyana Amazon Warriors extended their unbeaten start with a nine-run DLS victory over Trinbago Knight Riders at Queen's Park Oval.

Rain reduced the match to 16 overs per side, but the interruption appeared to bring out the best in Hetmyer. After Guyana were reduced to 22 for 2 early on, the left-hander transformed the innings with an unbeaten 111 from only 43 deliveries, helping the Warriors reach 185 for 5.

Trinbago Knight Riders were set a revised target of 182 and made a promising start, but Mohammad Nabi's three-wicket spell triggered a dramatic collapse. Alex Hales fought back with 55, yet TKR eventually ended on 172 for 7.

Rain changes the contest

The Warriors were immediately put under pressure after being asked to bat. Akeal Hosein removed Glenn Phillips in the opening over, conceding only one run, while Sunil Narine followed with another extremely economical over.

Shai Hope briefly changed the tempo by hitting two sixes, but Lahiru Kumara dismissed him in the fourth over. With Guyana at 22 for 2, rain then forced the players from the field and delayed the match for more than 90 minutes.

The reduction to a 16-over contest meant every remaining delivery became increasingly valuable.

Hetmyer switches gears

When play resumed, Hetmyer immediately took responsibility for the innings. The left-hander attacked Jyd Goolie with consecutive sixes before punishing Kumara in the following over with two fours and another maximum.

He reached his half-century from only 27 balls and continued increasing the scoring rate as the innings entered its final stages.

Matthew Nandu struggled to find his rhythm and was retired out for 13 from 21 deliveries, but Hetmyer had already taken control of the scoring.

A stunning 13th over

Hetmyer's innings reached another level in the 13th over when he took Kumara apart. The Guyana batter collected 30 runs from the over, repeatedly finding the boundary and turning a competitive total into a potentially huge one.

The assault put TKR's bowlers under enormous pressure and gave Guyana the momentum they had been missing before the rain break.

It also showed how quickly Hetmyer can change the direction of a shortened T20 innings when he gets settled at the crease.

Shepherd joins the assault

Romario Shepherd provided the perfect support at the other end. He attacked Dominic Drakes for 27 runs in the 15th over, giving the Warriors another huge late boost.

The pair's aggressive batting meant Guyana added 85 runs during the final four overs of their innings.

Hetmyer then completed his extraordinary hundred in the final over, bringing up the milestone with a six. He finished unbeaten on 111 from 43 balls, equalling the fastest century in CPL history.

Warriors post 185

Guyana eventually finished on 185 for 5 from their 16 overs. Hetmyer's 111 not out dominated the scorecard, while Shepherd's unbeaten 27 gave the innings an important late push.

After losing two early wickets, reaching 185 looked almost unimaginable. Hetmyer's acceleration completely changed the situation and gave the Warriors a substantial total to defend.

The DLS calculation set Trinbago an adjusted target of 182.

TKR start positively

Trinbago Knight Riders began the chase with intent despite the pressure of the revised target. They reached 52 for 1 during the 4.5-over PowerPlay and appeared capable of keeping pace.

Sunil Narine fell early, but Colin Munro and Nicholas Pooran quickly added 35 runs and maintained the required scoring rate.

However, the momentum changed immediately after the fielding restrictions ended.

Nabi creates the turning point

Mohammad Nabi removed Munro just after the PowerPlay, and the wicket triggered a remarkable collapse.

TKR slipped from 52 for 1 to 68 for 5 in only three overs. The middle order struggled to respond to the pressure created by Nabi and the rest of Guyana's bowling attack.

With four wickets falling for only 16 runs, the chase suddenly appeared to be heading towards a comfortable Warriors victory.

Hales refuses to give up

Alex Hales had other ideas. The England batter launched a determined counterattack and kept Trinbago's hopes alive with aggressive strokeplay.

He first combined with Akeal Hosein in a 43-run partnership before forming another important stand with Dominic Drakes.

The second partnership added 39 runs and kept the required rate within reach as the final overs approached.

Hales reaches fifty

Hales reached his half-century at a crucial stage of the chase. However, his innings ended immediately after reaching the milestone, leaving TKR needing 40 runs from the final two overs.

His dismissal was a major blow because he had been the main batter keeping the chase alive after Nabi's spell had damaged the middle order.

With the required rate now extremely high, TKR needed an extraordinary finish.

Late boundaries are not enough

Joshua Da Silva attempted to keep the chase alive by finding the boundary, but Guyana's bowlers maintained enough control to prevent a dramatic final-over turnaround.

TKR entered the last over needing 24 runs, an equation that proved too difficult even with wickets in hand.

The Warriors closed out the innings at 172 for 7, completing a nine-run DLS victory.

Hetmyer's night to remember

Hetmyer's unbeaten 111 was comfortably the defining performance of the match. His innings came from only 43 deliveries and included an extraordinary number of boundary strokes.

The century was especially significant because it came on his 100th CPL appearance. He also became part of the tournament's record books by equalling the fastest hundred in CPL history.

After a quieter period with the bat, Hetmyer's performance provided a reminder of the extraordinary range and power that have made him one of the Caribbean's most dangerous T20 batters.

Nabi's spell completes the job

While Hetmyer provided the fireworks, Nabi's three wickets were equally important to the Warriors' victory. His spell of 3 for 20 helped turn the chase in Guyana's favour after TKR had made a promising start.

The experienced Afghanistan all-rounder attacked the middle overs effectively and created the cluster of wickets that left Trinbago at 68 for 5.

Without that intervention, Hetmyer's extraordinary batting effort could have been put under serious pressure by TKR's chase.

Four wins from four

The victory means Guyana Amazon Warriors remain unbeaten after four matches. All four wins have come away from home, making their start to the campaign even more impressive.

The Warriors will now return home for their next four matches, giving them an opportunity to build on their perfect opening run in front of their own supporters.

The team's combination of experienced internationals and younger players has produced an impressive balance early in the tournament.

TKR suffer another setback

For Trinbago Knight Riders, the defeat leaves them with only two victories from seven matches. Their playoff hopes remain alive, but the margin for error has become considerably smaller.

The absence of captain Kieron Pollard through injury was another setback, although TKR still had enough quality to make a strong start to the chase.

The collapse after the PowerPlay ultimately proved too costly.

A memorable CPL contest

The match had almost everything associated with a modern T20 thriller: an early batting collapse, a lengthy rain interruption, a record-equalling century and a dramatic chase that went down to the final overs.

Hetmyer's 111 transformed Guyana's innings, while Hales' 55 ensured the Knight Riders remained competitive until the final stages.

In the end, the Warriors' superior control after the PowerPlay proved decisive.

Warriors continue their perfect start

Guyana Amazon Warriors can take enormous confidence from the victory. They recovered from 22 for 2 to post 185, then responded to TKR's strong start by taking five wickets for just 16 runs.

The performance showed both their batting depth and their ability to recover when a match begins to move away from them.

For Hetmyer personally, the night will be remembered for a remarkable century that matched the fastest hundred in CPL history and helped maintain the Warriors' unbeaten run.

With four wins from four, Guyana have established themselves as one of the early teams to beat in CPL 2026. TKR, meanwhile, will need a quick response if they are to remain firmly in the playoff race.