Mehidy Hasan Miraz made an impressive start to his Caribbean Premier League (CPL) campaign, taking three wickets as Guyana Amazon Warriors secured a four-wicket victory over Saint Lucia Kings. The Bangladesh all-rounder marked his long-awaited CPL debut with an economical spell that played a significant role in restricting the opposition to a modest total.
Miraz finished with figures of 4-0-13-3, conceding just 13 runs from his four overs while taking three important wickets. His control was particularly impressive, with 13 dot balls among the 24 deliveries he bowled. More than half of his deliveries therefore produced no runs, putting sustained pressure on the Saint Lucia batting line-up.
The Bangladesh off-spinner dismissed John Campbell, Kemol Savory and Charith Asalanka during his spell. His ability to maintain a tight line while making scoring difficult proved valuable on a day when spin bowling dominated the contest.
Miraz’s contribution with the bat was limited. Coming in during the chase, he scored one run from four deliveries before being dismissed. His overall impact, however, came through his bowling, which helped Guyana keep Saint Lucia within reach.
Saint Lucia Kings, batting first, were unable to post more than 119 runs. Guyana’s attack was led by captain Imran Tahir, who produced another outstanding spell alongside Miraz. The experienced South African leg-spinner claimed five wickets while conceding only 17 runs, dismantling the Saint Lucia batting order and earning the Player of the Match award.
With 120 required for victory, Guyana Amazon Warriors completed the chase with nine deliveries to spare, winning by four wickets. Glenn Phillips and unbeaten batter Quinton de Kock each contributed 37 runs, providing the stability required to take the home side across the line.
For Miraz, the appearance represented the fulfilment of a long-standing opportunity. He had been expected to make his CPL debut in 2017 after being signed by Trinbago Knight Riders, but he ultimately did not get the chance to play. Almost a decade later, the Bangladesh international finally took the field in the competition, this time representing Guyana Amazon Warriors.
The match also added another overseas franchise league experience to Miraz’s growing career. Earlier this year, he was part of the Galle Gladiators side that won the Lanka Premier League. He was also associated with Lahore Qalandars during their Pakistan Super League title-winning campaign, although he did not get the opportunity to play a match in the competition.
That background made his CPL debut particularly significant. Rather than taking time to settle, Miraz immediately produced figures that demonstrated his value as a disciplined limited-overs bowler.
Tahir was full of praise for his new team-mate after the match. Speaking during the presentation ceremony, the former South African leg-spinner highlighted the challenge of replacing Mohammad Nabi, describing Nabi as a high-quality bowler and one of the team’s leading performers.
Tahir said Miraz had responded to the opportunity in exactly the way Guyana had hoped. He praised the Bangladeshi as a world-class bowler who has consistently performed at international level and said having him in the squad was a major positive for the team.
Miraz’s first CPL appearance could therefore hardly have been more productive. Although his contribution with the bat was brief, his disciplined four-over spell, three wickets and 13 dot balls helped Guyana restrict Saint Lucia to a manageable total before completing a comfortable chase. For a player who had waited years for his chance in the competition, it was a highly encouraging beginning.