McDermott was fired, Hope stayed calm, and the Amazon Warriors brushed the Patriots aside in CPL 2025.
The Amazon Warriors have got what they came for on opening night, and that is control. Their bowlers kept the Patriots to 153, and from there Ben McDermott and Shai Hope made sure the chase never really looked in doubt. Victory by five wickets with 16 balls left. First points in the bag.
McDermott’s innings was brutal. He cracked 75 from 39 balls, ten boundaries, and four sixes, the ball flying off his bat with ease. Hardly looked troubled. By halfway, the Patriots’ heads were already down. Hope was the other side of the story. Steady at first, almost quiet, and then ruthless once he had the measure of things. He finished 56 not out from 39 balls. Together they put on 114 runs in under 10 overs. The noise from the stands carried well into the night. Floodlights and a humming Providence crowd.
Patriots started badly. Evin Lewis injured his hand pulling Shamar Joseph and had to walk away early. Before that, Romario Shepherd had fumbled one on the rope, almost comically. Andre Fletcher stood up with 60 from 41, crisp and clean. But Rossouw struggled, only 12 off 14, Tahir knocking him over. When Fletcher fell in the 17th at 114 for 5, the innings looked thin. Goolie hit 24 from 15, and Afridi chipped in with 10 off 5, taking them to 153. On another day it might have worked. Tonight, no chance.
The bowlers shared it around. Pretorius three wickets, Tahir two, everyone else had a hand. Moeen Ali was the only one to finish wicketless. Work done, job complete.
Hope was still there when it ended. Calm, a couple of sixes late, the chase wrapped. Patriots chasing leather, Warriors walking home.
Amazon Warriors looked sharp. That was enough.
