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Match 30 | Caribbean Premier League 2026 | Providence Stadium, East Bank Demerara, Guyana | 8 September 2026
Rahmanullah Gurbaz has forced his way into the XI ahead of an established international opener, and that’s the headline change for Guyana Amazon Warriors heading into Saturday’s meeting with Antigua and Barbuda Falcons. Glenn Phillips remains contracted and fit by every public report, yet he’s been left out of the last two lineups without explanation. Everything else around him looks settled, from the middle order to the bowling attack to the batting order fixed two games ago. One selection call is doing all the talking here.
Guyana’s most significant lineup change from their last meeting with Antigua sits at the top of the order. Rahmanullah Gurbaz has replaced Glenn Phillips as opener, a switch dating back to Gurbaz’s debut earlier this month, when he struck fifty-four off thirty-five balls against Jamaica Kingsmen and passed seven thousand career T20 runs in the same innings. Mavendra Dindyal keeps his place alongside him, continuing after his own debut innings produced thirty-three off seventeen balls in that same fixture.
Phillips opened in four of Guyana’s five earlier matches this season before dropping out of the XI without any confirmed reason attached to the change, leaving him fit, available and unexplained on the sidelines.
Selection now looks close to settled outside of that one opening slot. Shai Hope keeps the gloves and bats at three, Shimron Hetmyer sits at four in the form of his life, and the middle order runs through Quentin Sampson and Mohammad Nabi before the bowling all-rounders take over from six downward.
| Player | Role | Batting Position |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Wicketkeeper-Batter (Opener) | 1 |
| Mavendra Dindyal | Batter (Opener) | 2 |
| Shai Hope | Wicketkeeper-Batter | 3 |
| Shimron Hetmyer | Batter | 4 |
| Imran Tahir (Captain) | Leg-spin Bowler | 11 |
Every name from six to eleven carries a clear role: pace at the back end and spin through the middle overs, which is exactly the balance that bowled Antigua out for just 116 the last time these two sides met at Antigua’s home ground.
Phillips picked up a side injury during the Test series against England at The Oval in July, and was reported on track to return in time for this tournament by the end of that same month. He did return, playing four matches as opener before quietly dropping out of the XI at the start of this home leg.
No fresh injury bulletin has followed him since, which leaves his absence unexplained rather than confirmed as fitness-related. Veerasammy Permaul faces a similar situation lower down the squad list, included in the group but omitted from every predicted XI of the home leg without any stated reason either.
Antigua’s most recent confirmed XI, from their win over Barbados Tridents in late August, paired Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales with pace up front and Shadab Khan and Sufyan Moqim sharing the spin overs either side of Rahkeem Cornwall’s off-breaks. Cornwall claimed three wickets in their last completed fixture against Trinbago Knight Riders, with Joshua James and Shamar Springer splitting the rest between them.
Providence has leaned toward spin all season, which should push Shadab and Moqim into bigger overs than they bowled in that Tridents match, with Cornwall’s extra height offering a batting option lower down if conditions demand it. Fabian Allen remains a live selection possibility depending on how the surface behaves on the day.
Guyana’s most recent batting order, from their eight-wicket win over Jamaica Kingsmen, ran Gurbaz and Dindyal at the top, Hope at three and Hetmyer at four, with nobody past that point required to bat. It’s a settled top four built entirely around the last two completed matches rather than anything from the earlier meeting with Antigua back in August.
Antigua’s order shifts more by opponent. Evin Lewis and Rahkeem Cornwall opened their last completed fixture against Trinbago, with Amir Jangoo at three, Hasan Nawaz producing his highest score of the season at four, and Moeen Ali anchoring from five. Whatever Guyana Amazon Warriors playing XI CPL 2026 selectors settle on at the top, this contest will likely come down to whichever top four blinks first against the new ball.
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What is Guyana’s predicted lineup for this match?
Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mavendra Dindyal open, with Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer and Imran Tahir leading a settled middle and bowling unit. This XI has been unchanged across Guyana’s last two completed fixtures.
Who keeps wicket for Guyana this season?
Shai Hope wears the gloves and bats at number three for Guyana Amazon Warriors. He has kept wicket in every completed Guyana fixture so far this campaign, including the earlier win over Antigua in August.
Is there an injury update on Glenn Phillips?
No official bulletin has been issued on Phillips ahead of this match. He recovered from a side injury sustained in July and played four matches before dropping out of the last two lineups.
Who captains the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons?
Moeen Ali leads the Falcons this season. The England all-rounder usually bats around number five, and this weekend’s fixture is his side’s final group game of the entire campaign.
What time does Saturday’s match at Providence start?
The fixture starts at 7:00 PM local time at Providence Stadium. The Guyana venue is hosting five home matches for the Amazon Warriors across this stretch of the season.
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