The Saint Lucia Kings stumbled at the first hurdle of the 2025 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) playoffs, falling to the Guyana Amazon Warriors by 14 runs in Qualifier 1 at Providence on September 17. Despite flashes of brilliance, the defending champions were unable to chase down a competitive total, setting up a do-or-die clash against the Trinbago Knight Riders in Qualifier 2 on September 19.Â
Bowling first at Providence Stadium, the Kings made early inroads, restricting the Amazon Warriors to 45-1 in the powerplay. The Boys in Blue continued to apply pressure, taking wickets at regular intervals. At the 15-over mark, Guyana was precariously placed at 107-5. However, late-order cameos from Romario Shepherd (21 off 11) and Dwaine Pretorius (17 off 7), combined with a steady 32-run anchor from Shai Hope, lifted the home side to a respectable 157-7 after 20 overs.Â
In response, the Kings’ chase got off to a rocky start, losing Tim Seifert and Johnson Charles within the first two overs. At 37-3 after the powerplay, the innings lacked momentum and stability. A flurry of wickets followed, leaving the middle order scrambling. In a surprising twist, Khary Pierre almost emerged as the batting savior, smashing 50 off 29 balls to reignite hope. A late surge from new man Tymal Mills (30 off 14) brought the game down to the final over, but the Kings ultimately fell short.Â
The Kings’ CPL title retention hopes remain alive, however. They will regroup ahead of the September 19 Qualifier 2 against the Trinbago Knight Riders. A win there would secure their spot in the grand final and allow a chance to rewrite the narrative.
