Defending champions Guyana Amazon Warriors have bolstered their squad for the remainder of the 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) by acquiring England international Moeen Ali as a replacement player.
A key figure in England’s 2022 T20 World Cup-winning side, Moeen steps in for Saim Ayub, who is unavailable this season due to international commitments with Pakistan.
The 37 year-old’s availability for the CPL, however, hinges on the fortunes of his current side, Birmingham Bears, in the United Kingdom’s T20 Vitality Blast. The Bears are set to face Gloucestershire in a home quarter-final at Edgbaston on September 6, with the winners progressing to Finals Day on Saturday, September 14.
Should the Bears exit the tournament early, Moeen would join the Warriors sooner. In the interim, New Zealand’s 22-year-old all-rounder Tim Robinson has been drafted as a temporary replacement for Moeen. Robinson will remain with the squad even after Moeen’s arrival, taking over from Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who will depart for international duties following the Barbados leg of the CPL.
Gurbaz has continued his fine run of form in the Caribbean, amassing 89 runs in two matches, including a blistering 69 against the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots. His 116-run partnership with Shimron Hetmyer helped the Warriors to post 266-7, just one run shy of the CPL record for a team total.
The Afghanistan wicketkeeper/batsman also shone in the recent T20 World Cup, emerging as the tournament’s highest run-scorer with 281 runs in eight matches, playing a pivotal role in his nation’s remarkable journey to the semi-finals.
As Robinson steps into the fold during Gurbaz’s absence, the Warriors will look forward to Moeen’s arrival to further strengthen their squad. The defending champions next face St Lucia Kings next on September 7 at the Daren Sammy Cricket Stadium.
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