Red Force into Super50 Cup final with Pride

VIDIA RAMPHAL

The Trinidad and Tobago Red Force booked their place in the 2025/26 CG United Super 50 Cup final with an eight-wicket win over the Leeward Islands Hurricanes on November 27 at the Queen’s Park Oval, St Clair.

Seamer Terrance Hinds and spinner Ricky Jaipaul took three wickets apiece to restrict the Leeward Islands to a manageable 214 in 49 overs.

Tion Webster and Amir Jangoo then notched half-centuries to ease the Red Force to victory with 41 balls to spare—their fourth finals appearance in the last five years.

TT Red Force will play Barbados Pride in the final on November 29 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba—the first meeting between the traditional rivals in the Super50 final since 2016.

Barbados’ match against Guyana Harpy Eagles was washed out — a fate that befell all five games played at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground, with only 31 balls in total bowled at the St Augustine playing field.

The Windward Islands battled Jamaica Scorpions in the day-night game at Tarouba, but neither team had a chance to make it to the final, given the daylight the Red Force (22 points) and the Pride (29 points) had opened ahead of the chasing pack.

Joshua Da Silva’s team started confidently, with Hinds accounting for the first three batters within the first 39 balls of the match.

The slingy pacer had Kofi James (8) edging to Da Silva, got Carlon Bowen-Tuckett caught for 5, and then clean bowled Mikyle Louis for 13.

At 31 for 3, Karima Gore started to rally the innings with Jewel Andrew adding 30 runs for the fourth wicket off 38 balls.

However, Andrew fell for 7, the first wicket for Jaipaul, before Jahmar Hamilton got stuck in with skipper Gore.

Hamilton, who famously blasted T&T out of the 2019 Super50 Cup semifinal, found the Red Force bowling to his liking again.

The right-hander added 52 with Gore in relatively quick time before the tidy Yannic Cariah dismissed Gore for 39.

Hamilton continued to prosper despite wickets falling at a regular clip, with Nathan Edward (13) and Rahkeem Cornwall (20) keeping his company longest.

As the partnerships dried up, he was forced to take more chances and was ninth out at 198.

Jaipaul, who had removed the dangerous Cornwall, had Hamilton caught for 71.

In the flood of wickets at the back end of the innings, Joshua James, Jyd Goolie, and Abdul-Raheem Toppin all took wickets as the Leeward Islands folded for 214.

When the Red Force openers went to the crease, the focus was on Tion Webster, who has had a lean time in this tournament.

The talented right-hander came good when it counted for TT, piercing the field at will on his home ground as the Leeward Island bowlers struggled to contain the Red Force.

The redoubtable Cornwall, bowling fourth change, eventually made the breakthrough for the Hurricanes, bowling Cephas Cooper for 28.

Amir Jangoo, returning to the Red Force line-up after his stint in the West Indies maroon, gave a timely reminder of what he has to offer in the 50-over game.

With Webster returning to form, the TT batters sensibly added 88 runs off 141 balls to kill off the game as a contest.

Webster fell for 83 off 117 balls, before Jangoo and Goolie knocked off the remaining 42 off only 39 balls to seal victory.

Jangoo was 72 not out from 85 balls, while Goolie was undefeated on a run-a-ball 23.

With the win, TT Red Force joined Barbados Pride on an unassailable 31 points, putting both teams in the final. The regional rivals have met nine times in the regional 50-over finals since the format began in 1973.

Red Force fans will be hoping to see their team complete their seventh win in regional 50-over finals over their rivals, and a record-extending 15th title overall.