FOR FREE DISTRIBUTION17 September, 2022
This year, our season was bookmarked between the end of the month of August – the month we have commemorated as “Freedom Month” for more than a century and a half – and the end of September, which is the month we celebrate “Amerindian Heritage Month” in honour of our First Peoples. During that time, we West Indians have marked that freedom and indigenous ness by achieving success in several fields –but nowhere else more unique than in the culture we evolved in celebrating life itself. Maybe it is because, more than most other
On
“Cricket
is much more than a game for us in Guyana, it is a passion, part of our culture and a unify ing force. As we celebrate “One Guyana”, the hosting of the CPL final will be an energis ing force. We are building a product that will be spectator-focused, integrated with our re gional partners for a global market. Cricket
Carnival is a fusion of entertainment and celebration that will be mind-blowing and unbelievably different from any other glob al cricketing event. We welcome all to the greatest celebration of music, pageantry, Caribbean vibes with a South American touch, and, of course, cricket played loud est.” GUYANA, CPL 2022
WELCOME TO
places, our history has made us appreciate life more, since it could have been so easily taken from us. This year, we have launched a unique Cricket Carnival to bring it all to gether!Cricket has been an integral part of Caribbean life, and as I have said in previ ous years, T20 might have been launched elsewhere, but its joie de vivre and all its synonyms – cheerfulness, cheer, light-heart edness, merriment, glee, gladness, happi ness, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, delight, pleasure, high spirits, good spirits, good hu mour, jollity, jolliness, hilarity, mirth, jovi ality, exuberance, elation, exultation, eu phoria, jubilation – declare it was “born” in the West Indies.
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And I repeat, the Guyana Amazon Warriors are your team and your vociferous support of your team in and out of the sta dium has proven to be their secret weapon – providing at crucial moments that rush of adrenalin that takes teams across the line from the agony of defeat to the thrill of victo ry. Your Guyana Amazon Warriors have re sponded by being the most consistent team in the last decade. And they have become known as a team that never say die.
Once again, on behalf of your Guyana Amazon Warriors I ask that you join me as I say with all sincerity: GO WARRIORS! – Let us celebrate the joy of Caribbean Cricket!!
behalf of the management, coach ing staff and players of the Guyana Amazon Warriors, I would like to welcome all the fans in our dear land of Guyana who will be coming out from today in numbers to fill our National Stadium in all our games – and those who could not get in because the tickets were all sold out with in a few days. In the ten years that the Hero T20 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has been in existence, I can say – without any fear of being accused of exaggeration that you have been the most consistent in dem onstrating support for your team – and for CPL Cricket – in all of the territories.
never be seen better than in Guyana this year. So, for us it is all about, you know, en joying what's ahead. I think it's going to be a phenom enal few days in Guyana, and I hope all the fans, both watching at home and in the stadium, will enjoy the expe rience.”
This is the 10th season of the CPL, but the first time that the finals are being held in Guyana. We anticipate an electrifying atmosphere from the wave of fans who will fill seats at the National Stadium in Providence to witness the games.
Notwithstanding,soil. host ing the CPL is a special mo ment for Guyana.
In advance of the CPL, we noted that hotels were booked solid and numer ous economic opportunities have opened up for bed and breakfast accommodations, vendors, restaurants, bars, transportation services, and tourGuyanaoperators.israpidly evolv ing as an oil and gas market,
My fervent hope, like many Guyanese, is for our Amazon Warriors to draw inspiration from the games being staged in Guyana to finally reward their passion ate and loyal fans by win ning the elusive CPL cham pionship on home
This is the first of three annual CPL finals and Cricket Carnivals to be host ed byTheGuyana.CPLand the carnival events mean a lot to Guyana as our unwavering drive is to bring people together and to unify the country. There is no better way to achieve this than through sports and culture.
We will continue to build out many new pillars so that our economy will be resil ient, strong and sustainable. Combined, CPL and the Cricket Carnival is one such avenue Government has ad opted as a unifying catalyst
More importantly, the Government’s inten tion through the events is to invest in its people as a springboard that will foster economic opportunities for every Guyanese.
for economic growth.
As a result of the vi
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The CPL games in Guyana are paired with Cricket Carnival, a fun, vi brant and colourful medley of activities held under the “One Guyana” theme.
On behalf of the Government and the people of Guyana, I am pleased to extend a warm welcome to thousands of visitors from across the globe, particular ly our Caribbean Region.
WELCOME TO GUYANA, CPL 2022
and our Government has mapped out a transforma tional development trajec tory that will ensure the di versification of our economy by using the gains from this natural resource for coun trywide development.
An exciting brand of cricket is expected from the six teams participating in the tournament name ly, Jamaica Tallawahs, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, Barbados Royals, Trinbago Knight Riders, St Lucia Kings, and, of course, the Guyana Amazon Warriors.
sion of promoting Guyana as a top-tier international destination for investment, tourism, entertainment, sports, food, and cultural ac tivities.There is something for everyone to enjoy, including music festivals, food shows, concerts, competitions, and organised tours.
Both events fulfil the Government’s overall mis
Guyana is a proud host of the highlyanticipated finals of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2022, the do mestic Twenty20 cricket league played here in the West
sion and investments of our Government, led by Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, the CPL finals were secured, particularly given the socioeconomic development bene fits that cricket offers.
WeIndies.warmly welcome the teams, players, coaches, and their fans for the final leg of the tournament. The first game in Guyana is set for Wednesday, September 21, and will climax with the fi nals on Friday, September 30.
“The 10th anni versary finals in Guyana will be the biggest finals the CPL has ever had. We'll have sell out crowds to all the games, there's going to be an ex traordinary atmosphere. As I said, that coming together of Carnival and cricket will
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2014, a lanky Guyanese lad from Cumberland, Berbice got another shot at represent ing the West Indies on the international stage, having played Under-15 cricket pre viously. Two years later, the same teenager achieved the unthinkable – the opportuni ty to lead that very Under-19 team that he was first select ed for, two years prior.
very year, as Hetmyer leads the local fran chise in the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL), the Amazon Warriors may have the opportunity to play their first CPL final at home, the first time that the final will
history.This
“I’m very excited actu ally. It’s something that I’m
He went on to add, “Lifting the trophy, that was a feeling like no other, be cause being the first captain to do it and then having such a wonderful team and some great guys that I actually grew up with since Under-15 cricket, that made it even moreAndspecial.”now, the GAW
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In
Some occurrences have destiny written all over them, and Shimron Hetmyer’s cap taincy is one of them.
Guyana leg of the Hero relish“[But]HeCPL.related,Ireallyplayingin
As one would expect, Hetmyer has been looking forward to his rise in the ranks for quite a while; may be even since his entry into the Warriors team in 2016, months after his World Cup glory. The then 19-year-old only played a single match for the Warriors, but two years later announced him self as the flamboyant bats man Guyana has come to know and However,love.Hetmyer, who is still the youngest player to slam a Hero CPL century (having done so as a 21-yearold), is looking to bring more than boundaries and maxi mums to the table.
Captain would love nothing more than to raise the Hero CPL trophy at the Guyana National
Shimron Hetmyer: The long-proclaimed “Captain of Destiny”
son.“Being here for a while I think, yes, I am ready,” the left-handed batsman added.
Guyana, the crowd and so on and knowing the conditions that I’m playing in as well, so, all of that helps. It makes it just a little bit more exciting, a little bit more special when you actually win games in Guyana.”“Winning the World Cup, it was just a breath-tak ing feeling. There were just so many different thoughts running through each and everyone’s head,” A young er Hetmyer had reflected to the International Cricket Council (ICC) back in 2020.
By Jemima Holmes
I’d like to call that desti ny.
Shimron Hetmyer is embracing the captaincy role
plained, weighing the pres sures of performing at home and the captaincy, “Knowing that you’re playing at home, it’s always fun and exciting, but it’s also very challeng ing, because of the fact that you know you have to win, or there’s this pressure on you to win.”Nonetheless, Hetmyer is very eager to get to the
really looking forward to, to be honest and it’s something I think I could learn a lot from, in terms of taking my cricket forward. Like how to manage my innings, how to look after my team, as well. Just to be a little bit more of
“I got the opportunity now to captain my side and captain my country as well; it’s something that I can’t wait to actually go out on the field and start doing,” Hetmyer told the Hero CPL’s media team prior to the com mencement of the 2022 sea
“That’sStadium.something all Guyanese players, fans, ev eryone have been looking for ward to and more so myself, because I literally cannot wait to go back to Guyana and play some cricket.”
Hetmyer’s batting has also reflected his intent to lead well
Think about it: a GAW team stacked heavily with Guyanese players, the Guyanese fans enthralled in the boisterous crowd as they revel in the glory of win ning their first Hero CPL trophy, at the first final to ever be played at their home ground. And, of course, they are being led in celebra tions by none other than the only captain who has led an Under-19 West Indies side to World Cup victory.
be played at the Guyana National Stadium.
Upon his return from Bangladesh with the West Indies’ first Under-19 World Cup trophy and a smile that you could spot miles away, the Berbician lad was hailed as the “Captain of Destiny” by a Guyana Chronicle writ er – a title that is truly fit ting, six years down the road.Of course, the individual needs no introduction. He is Shimron Hetmyer, Captain of the Guyana Amazon Warriors and only the sec ond Guyanese to hold the ti tle in the franchise’s 10-year
On this topic, he relat ed, “It’s always good to know that there’s guys you could always go to and find out what they’re thinking and they could help you, in terms of field setting, who to bowl at a specific time, just to make sure that everything runs“There’ssmoothly.a lot of guys there that’s actually experi enced.”One pressure situation that Hetmyer might not be able to escape that easily is the thousands of adoring fans in the Guyana National Stadium, holding strong to the hope that Captain Hetmyer would get their team over the line this time.
Shimron Hetmyer is no stranger to lifting trophies as captain
When it comes to pres sure situations, Hetmyer is pretty confident that there is enough support for his team to rely on.
“It’s a little bit of both, to be honest,” Hetmyer ex
a team player than just try ing to hit 6s and 4s basical ly.”He continued, “So, I’m trying as much as possible to do as much as I can, in terms of being the captain, trying to help out as much as I can and just being there for the team.”Of course, the captain cy hat is one that we have not seen Hetmyer taking on much, since 2016. Aside from occasional stints at the national level, Hetmyer has stayed far from leadership, but this time around, the challenge is what enticed him.“I think it’s the experi ence really. Being around the West Indies team, I think I’ve learned a lot, in terms of how to go about doing stuff as someone in a leadership group. I’m just trying to do my best, in terms of trying to help the guys that are com ing up in their careers and who’re in the centre part of their careers. To really push on and really play more for the West Indies,” the 25-year-old said.
“By the time we announced, all the rooms in the hotels were booked up and so, we launched the Bed and Breakfast programme that added 300 new rooms, those are most ly taken up, sorry to say,” Tourism Minister Oneidge Walrond said about the response to Cricket Carnival.
A glimpse of what to expect at Cricket Carnival
When
The only aspect left that will make it a perfect picture of success is the music, food, culture and not to forget, the cricket. Let the fete begin!
She continued about the event’s future prospects, “In these next three years, this Cricket Carnival is only going to get big ger and bigger and we will be perfecting the
He remarked, “What I want everyone to know, too, is that when we speak about Carnival, for us it’s Cricket Carnival, but Carnival in Trinidad, which has been the biggest in the Region, is not a Government-led process. It’s not the Government that budgets a significant sum of money, puts aside the mon ey to do all the events or puts together a committee that is chaired by the President and co-chaired by two Ministers.”
A grand celebration of Guyanese and Caribbean culture, an array of colours and costumes, coupled with the sport that the Region enjoys the most, was what he had in mind. And so, Cricket Carnival was birthed.
an event that is streamed by 500 million people in the world, they get to see this. Five hundred million people tune in to the CPL finals and semi-finals. How would they have had that otherwise?”
Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Charles Ramson Jr
Cricket Carnival planning committee has managed to pull it off.
Of course, the thought of Cricket Carnival sounds easy to those who may not have an intricate knowledge of the planning that has gone into the event, but, in six months the
indeed, the Cricket Carnival has put Guyana on the map; flights in and out of the country are booked, hotels reserved to capacity, and tourists from all around the globe are mingling comfortably with Guyanese natives.
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Ramson Jr further elucidated, “This is
“FromCarnival.theperformance arts area, those young people, they’re going to be able to get the biggest platform that they have ever had before. People from all around the coun try, the Region and the world will be here in Guyana and getting the opportunity to see our talent here. Getting them the name and face recognition that they would not have had otherwise,” he explained.
President Dr Irfaan Ali boldly declared his intention in December 2021, to bid for the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) finals in Guyana, lit tle did anyone know that the Head of State had bigger plans in mind.
Of course, coupled with the Hero CPL, it would be hard for tourists to resist and that fact has unfolded well for Guyana.
Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Oneidge Walrond
Simply put, the main objective of Cricket Carnival is to diversify Guyana’s tourism product, but for other sectors like culture and arts, it is said to be the driving force that will put Guyanese creatives on the map.
product every year. And, after three years, we will have a big surprise for you, it’s going to get even Culture,bigger.”Youth and Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr has, however, offered a different perspective on the prospects of Cricket
Pegging the event as an outlet that will leap frog Guyana in sectors out side of agriculture and oil and gas, Ramson Jr also touched on the necessity of Government’s involvement.
“It’s not done that way, but we’ve done it in this way, because we need to leapfrog the curve, so that we start to occupy space in a much more significant way,” Ramson Jr added.And
“The loudest it will ever be!” was the vow President Ali made on the evening of March 30, 2022, when he went on to announce the inaugural Cricket Carnival, a fusion of fete and cricket that has never been attempted in the Caribbean Region before.
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Cherry-Ann Fraser is a Guyanese cricketer; the 23-year-old allrounder was added to the West Indies Women’s Twenty20 International squad in November 2019 as a replacement for the injured Stafanie Taylor. In May 2021, she was awarded a central contract by Cricket West Indies (CWI) and on September 16, 2021, she made her ODI debut against South Africa, bowling 1-33 in her seven overs. She was picked to showcase her exceptional talent as she has the ability to pick up wickets at will and can score runs through all parts of the ground.
Shabika Gajnabi plays for Guyana and the West Indies. She is a right-arm medium bowler. In August 2019, she was named in the West Indies squad for their series against Australia. On the regional scene, she has dominated with both bat and ball, as she emerged the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Guyana Cricket Board’s Female Inter-County 50over competition, scoring 173 runs and taking five wickets. In the ODI format, she has taken 10 wickets while she has only taken one in T20Is.
the Women’s Super50 Cup and the Twenty20 Blaze tournaments. In June 2021, Vincent was named in the West Indies A Team for their series against Pakistan. In the said series in Pakistan, she registered a high score of 56 on July 12, 2021.
The St Lucian has scored 147 runs from four games in the Women U19 T20, 2022 tournament at an average of 73.50.
Chedean Nation, who is Jamaican, is a right-hand middleorder batter, who has represented the West Indies in 59 ODI matches and has scored a total of 812 runs with a high score of 51. In the T20Is, she has played 38 matches, scoring 406 runs with a high score of 63. Her role in the GAW-W team was to cement the middle order and set the tone for the power hitters.Zaida James, represents the Windward Islands Women and the West Indies A Women. In June 2021, James was named in the West Indies A Team for their Pakistan.againstseries
Warriors Women’s batting strength
GAW-W’s all-round ability
The middle order was bolstered by Vice Captain Shemaine Campbelle. The explosive middle-order batter hails from Berbice and has captained her national team. She is enjoying a resurgence in international cricket. Campbelle is a veteran of 77 ODIs with an average of 20.25, scoring 1357 runs with a high score of 105. In her 91 T20Is, she has an average of 13.10 and can change a match in the middle overs when her bat gets hold of the ball.
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he 10th edition of the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has already brought the vibes and the atmosphere is immaculate. To make things even sweeter, the “Biggest Party in Sport” launched the Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL). The Guyana Amazon Warriors were selected as one of the three competing franchises as they possessed an exceptional line-up led by the one and only Stafanie Taylor. The squad comprised a well-balanced unit, with an equal balance of experience and youth.
Opener Rashada Williams is a Jamaican cricketer who plays for the Jamaica women’s national cricket team in the Women’s Super50 Cup and the Twenty20 Blaze tournaments. In January 2019, Williams was named in the West Indies squad for their tour of Pakistan. She is a right-handed batter and is a wicketkeeper as well; she has played 16 ODI matches thus far with a high score of 78 not out.
Yet again, Captain Taylor appears on the list; she has shown her worth on the international scene and is one of the most sought-after players. With the ball, she has bagged 152 wickets at an economy rate of 3.52 in the ODI format while with the ball in T20Is, she has picked up 98 wickets at an economy rate of 5.66.
The bowling unit is led by Ayabonga Khaka, the South African cricketer who plays for the national cricket team as a right-arm medium bowler. Khaka has played a total of 87 ODI matches and has bagged a total of 113 wickets at an economy rate of 4.14 with a best of 5-26. In the T20I format, she has played 42 games and picked up 37 scalps with a best of 4-23 at an economy rate of 6.43.
Kaysia Shultz is a Guyanese cricketer; the talented slow left-arm orthodox bowler is a main feature in the Guyana side as she has been representing the country since 2016. She was named in the West Indies squad for the Women’s T20I series against England, earning her maiden call-up to the team. Recently, she played for West Indies in a tour match against South Africa Women XI, and bowled figures of 1-23 off her six overs at an economy rate of 3.83.
Another young talent in the Guyana Amazon Warriors Women’s side was Rachel Vincent, a Trinidadian cricketer who plays for the Trinidad and Tobago women’s national cricket team in
and bagged 42 wickets at an economy rate of 4.62 with a best of 4-54. In T20Is, she has played 54 games and taken 36 wickets with a best of 3-14 at an economy rate of 6.54.
T
GAW-W’s bowling unit
Shamilia Connell is a Barbadian cricketer who represents the West Indies; the right-arm speedster has played a total of 56 ODI matches
Karishma Ramharack is a Trinidadian cricketer who plays for Trinidad and Tobago and the West Indies as a right-arm off-break bowler. She made her T20I debut on February 3, 2019. She has played 14 ODI matches and taken eight wickets with a best of 2-18 at an economy rate of 4.40. In the T20I format, she has played seven games and taken seven wickets with a best of 3-8 at an economy rate of 6.59.
Isani Vaghela was the baby of the Warriors camp, Vaghela is 16 years of age and plays for the United States of America Women’s team. She is a right-hand batter and bowls right-arm medium pace. She was also named in America’s squad for the 2021 Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament in Zimbabwe. On November 23, 2021, she played in America’s first match of the tournament against Bangladesh.
The team’s skipper, Jamaica-born Taylor emerged onto the international scene as a 17-year-old, hitting a 49-ball 90 on her T20 International debut against Ireland in 2008. In 2013, she became the only player in history, male or female, to ever achieve the number one OneDay International (ODI) ranking in both batting and bowling simultaneously. Taylor’s crown of glory came in 2016 when she led West Indies to the Women’s World T20 title. The talented allrounder has amassed a total of 5298 runs in the ODI format with a healthy average of 44.15 and a high score of 171. On the T20I scene, she has scored 3121 runs at an average of 35.87. With the experience of having led a team to a world title, Taylor was a definite fit for the Warriors camp, bringing a wealth of experience to the side.Another important player was Sri Lanka’s very own Chamari Athapaththu. She is her country’s highest run scorer in the T20 format. She is a hard-hitting player and by no means, needs an introduction as her reputation precedes her. The attacking left hander has played 90 ODIs and scored 2840 runs at an average of 31.91 while in the T20I format, she has blasted 2079 runs from 98 matches at an average of 22.11 with a high score of 113.
As it relates to how confident he is that the Warriors will lift the trophy, Hemraj explained that it is his belief that the process is very important for the team. He clarified that as much as one would like to look at the results and
he 2022 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is certainly a historic event. For the first time in the tournament’s history, a Women’s CPL was played, with three teams locking horns. While noting that this CPL signi fied growth of women’s cricket, Guyanese crick eter Kaysia Schultz said she was excited to rep resent the Guyana Amazon Warriors Women.
T
with 353 runs at a strike rate of 177.39 and an average of 35.30; he also scored two centuries in the league with a high score of 130.
come true when I found out I was playing for my home franchise, it’s every cricketer’s dream to be play ing for their home franchise as well.”
that the team just needed to go through the process and once they get to the semi-finals, take it home for the fans.The talented Guyanese also reiterated that for him, it was a privilege to represent the Warriors year after year as he stressed on the importance of playing in front of his friends and family. He stated that it was an honour to rep resent the Guyana Amazon Warriors and he has spent four years with them. He added that in this time, he has gained a lot of experience and he believes that now is the time to show some more maturity and have a good season.
…says century has given him the confidence heading into CPL 2022 2021hisHemrajChandrapaulcelebratescenturyintheeditionofCPL
By TimoThy Jaikarran
Schultz, who finished with eight wickets in the Women’s T20 Blaze, which was held in Guyana earlier this year, said her goal was to capture the most wickets and help Warriors lift the Whiletrophy.theentire Women’s CPL is be ing played in St Kitts this year, Schultz has hopes of playing at Providence, in front of her family and friends. She explained that it would mean a lot for her.
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“It’s a huge inspiration for young female cricketers to share the same dressing room with top international players and gain knowledge to develop our game, and even to young female cricketers aspiring to make a career out of crick et,” the humble spinner added.
When asked about her expectations, the 25-year-old Schultz said she expected to see more fans support the women’s game. She also added: “In the future I’ll like to see more female
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The talented left hander in the 2021 edition had blast ed a scintillating 105 not out against the Barbados Royals, which he deemed as one of his most memorable moments.
“Being able to score a century last year definitely gave me the confidence going into this tournament, knowing I can score bigger at this level. I am very much prepared going into this tournament, I have it very clear. I understand my role and responsibility with the team, but you know as an opening batsman, I see myself as an entertainer and that’s what I’m going to do this season and I’m looking forward to entertaining my fans.”
The Women’s CPL will certainly inspire more young female cricketers around the globe. According to Schultz, the CPL is a huge inspi ration for young Caribbean players to share the same dressing room with international stars.
“It’s a great feeling to be a part of this his toric Women’s CPL, having a women’s franchise tournament in the Caribbean will surely grow women’s cricket,” the left-arm spinner said.
he Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) fixtures for the 2022 season were announced with the best crick eting talents from across the Caribbean and from around the world set to be part of the Biggest Party in Sport. As such, local son of the soil, Chandrapaul Hemraj is set to turn out in his patriotic Guyana Amazon Warriors colours as he is eager to hit the field and showcase his talent before his home crowd.
In the 2021 edition of CPL, Hemraj was the third highest run scorer for the Warriors with 254 runs at an average of 25.40 with a strike rate of 133.68. In 2022, he played in the US Minor League and from his 11 games, he walked away
When asked about her emotions when she first heard she was playing in the Women’s CPL, Schultz said it was a dream come true.
As he has been playing minor league cricket during his off season, Hemraj came into the CPL with some form. In further preparation, he had been challenging himself to bat 12 to 15 overs every game. The fitter-looking Hemraj has been putting in the necessary work over the past few months as he prides himself on bringing out the best version of himself. “Over the last few months, I have been putting in a lot of work in the gym, a lot of strength work, been plac ing some emphasis on my diet and coming into this tourna ment I feel more prepared, mentally and physically. I don’t want to be overconfident, but I just want to be prepared,” he shared.Hemraj has stated that one of the things he would be looking forward to is playing in front of his friends and fami ly and the huge crowd at the National Stadium. He revealed that the National Stadium was a venue where he enjoys batting and was optimistic that he would be able to help the Warriors bag some victories.
Hemraj ended the interview by saying, “We all know that Warriors fans are one of the most passionate fans out there, but I think it’s time for us to deliver it. Time for us to give them what they have been asking for from the incep tion. We have a good bunch of players here, a good bunch of locals and international players and I’m very confident we are going to deliver this year.”
teams competing in the Women’s CPL, which will also widen the pool of Caribbean players.”
dream“A
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Since ExxonMobil began consistent operations in Guyana, it has contributed heavily to several sport disciplines, such as athletics, basketball, cricket, football, hockey, motor rac ing, squash, tennis and volleyball.
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For the oil and gas giant, its CSR knows no bounds, ranging from educational ini tiatives including STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), community projects and agriculture to, of course, sport.
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Only this year, the company has resuscitated its Petra-organised ExxonMobil Under-14 Boys’ and Girls’ schools’ football tournament, which fills a critical gap in youth football
a company as large and successful as ExxonMobil, the practice of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is increasingly important.
ExxonMobil has sponsored both the GAW Men’s and Women’s teams this year
Earlier this year, ExxonMobil became the title sponsors of the National Schools' Basketball Festival
development, between the Pee- Wee (Under-11) and Under-18 levels. ExxonMobil also eagerly hopped onboard as the title sponsors of the National Schools’ Basketball Festival, which has introduced and produced national youth players sinceNot2006.to mention the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) will don the company’s logo for the sixth consecu tive year. Not only has Exxon thrown its support behind the men’s team, but its support for the women’s team in the inaugural Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has been equally consistent.
“The many benefits of sport are wellknown, and we take our role as a part of the Guyanese community very seriously. That’s why we support sports at the youth lev el as well as raising our sponsorship of the Warriors,” ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge shared as the compa ny announced its support for the Guyana Amazon Warriors’ Men and Women.
Similarly, Community Relations Advisor Ryan Hoppie shared at the commencement of the third ExxonMobil U14 football tour nament, “You know sport is very important for youth development, and we know that it brings both physical and mental benefits, but, also the camaraderie among players within the team!”
ExxonMobil’s Senior Director of Public and Government Affairs, Marcus Tripp was present for the kickoff of their Boys’ and Girls’ U14 football tournament
To be frank, ExxonMobil is the perfect picture of sport involvement and develop ment, and the company is always elated to play the role.
Additionally, given that the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is return ing to Guyana, after being hosted in soli tary destinations during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, ExxonMobil is going all-out for sport once again.
There will be a booth at the Guyana National Stadium on every game day, where Guyanese patrons can interact and play games for chances to get their hands on prizes.Aside from this, the company is plan ning activities where fans can meet Guyana Amazon Warriors players.
ExxonMobil’s hands-on approach to en suring sport development in the country is a great example of avid investment in sport development. One can only hope that more corporate entities will take a page out of Exxon’s book.
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of the neutral games, 10 in the morning has been on sale, and it shows how hun gry fans are to come out to a more normal CPL,” he said.
Guyana Amazon Warriors Squad for 2022 CPL: Imran Tahir, Shimron Hetmyer, Tabraiz Shamsi, Odean Smith, Romario Shepherd, Colin Ingram, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Paul Stirling, Shai Hope, Heinrich Klaasen, Keemo Paul, Jermaine Blackwood, Gudakesh Motie, Ronsford Beaton, Veerasammy Permaul, Junior Sinclair, and Matthew Nandu.
Fans were delighted with the return of CPL
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In recent interviews with fans at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia, the excitement for the return of CPL has been over-the-roof. Fans from the United States of America, who are Guyanese by birth, noted that the CPL has the best atmosphere and it was good for them to see live ac tion
Fromagain.a Guyanese stand point, the CPL carnival in Guyana has attracted a large number of tourists. A majority of the hotels are booked and this is evidence of the high level of interest for CPL 2022, the tourna ment where the bubble was officially burst.
he Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is known as the biggest party in sport. During the COVID-19 pan demic, this was the first league to host a bio-secured tournament, and it was a success. The stands were empty, as fans were not al lowed, and the tournament was played in one country only. For the players, it was difficult, as they were not allowed to leave the hotel/ bubble.Come 2022, the CPL is being played in four countries:St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana. The fans are back, and stands are filled to capac ity. Players are allowed to move around the different Caribbean countries, and even have their families withThethem.2022 CPL has burst the bubble, and players, match officials, and own ers are relishing this expe rience. Moreover, the 2022 CPL was historic in nature, with the first Women’s CPL being played in St Kitts, and the newest format, 6IXTY being played in St Kitts as Fromwell.StKitts to Guyana, fans are going wild for tick ets, which are high in de mand. This is according to the numbers and a re cent comment from CPL’s Head of Marketing, Chris Watson.
“Across all four of host locations this year, the sales have been really strong, and the reaction has been huge. Particularly in Guyana, the new box office
A few fans from the United States of America came to witness the CPL live and direct (Brandon Corlette photos)
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in Camp Street, the guys have seen great levels of interest, with some games sold out already. So, it has been a strong “Surprisingly,reaction.”forsome
“We have not been able to put on games in Guyana since 2019, so we are really excited to bring a more nor mal CPL this year.”
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