Defending champions Jamaica Tallawahs enter tonight’s Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) game knowing that a win over Guyana Amazon Warriors at Sabina Park will propel them into a top-two spot and a chance at another Twenty20 final.

Trinbago Knight Riders, with 16 points from nine games, are in an unassailable position and are awaiting the team that finishes second in the preliminary round.

The Tallawahs, who defeated St Kitts and Nevis Patriots by 41 runs on Wednesday at Sabina, have 12 points from nine games, while the Amazon Warriors have eight points from nine outings.

The Amazon Warriors, though not having the best of campaigns so far, are buoyed after a crushing 99-run defeat of Barbados Tridents at Kensington Oval on Tuesday.

Tallawahs head coach Paul Nixon expects a tough challenge from the Amazon Warriors on a surface that has generally allowed positive batting and above-average scores.

“The pitch has been playing well. We played on this pitch in pre-season, so it’s going to be a good game and we are looking forward to a high-scoring game, and there should be some good pace and bounce. Guyana has some good spinners and we respect that, so hopefully, if Michael [Hylton, the pitch curator] does the job, then they won’t worry us too much,” Nixon said during yesterday’s pre-game press conference.

He also praised Tallawahs skipper Kumar Sangakkara, whose three-straight 50s has propelled the team to two wins from three home games.

“The thing about good players is that they do it consistently, but Kumar has been outstanding in the last four games, he is never out of form. He is a workaholic, always in the nets working every day, wearing away my shoulders as a coach throwing the ball to him, which is what you want. He is a great role model for the youngsters,” said the Tallawahs coach.

Rayad Emrit, the captain of the Guyana Amazon Warriors, suggested his team could be peaking at the right time.

“We are confident coming into this game, but not over-confident because we know Jamaica have been playing very good cricket at home and they are a tough team to beat. But that win against the Tridents has even boosted our confidence more.

“Previously, the Amazon Warriors used to win at the beginning and then taper off at the end, but now it’s probably the reverse and I am hoping that we peak at the right time. I don’t want to talk too fast, but I think we have been improving and every game we keep improving, which is the most important thing in T20 cricket,” Emrit told reporters.

Four teams will advance from the preliminary stage to the 2017 CPL play-offs. The teams which occupy first and second place will play-off, with the winner automatically advancing to the final.

The winner of the clash between the third- and fourth-place teams will play the loser of the top-two play-off, giving the latter a second opportunity to enter the championship match.

However, the loser of the fixture between the third and fourth place will be eliminated.

—Sanjay Myers