Long Island Raptors etched their name into the history books of the New York National Cricket League’s Guyana Cup, capturing the T20 title for the first time with an unbeaten run through the tournament.
Central to the Raptors’ success was captain Suresh Dhanai, whose disciplined bowling performances played a pivotal role in the team’s championship campaign. Dhanai finished with eight wickets across four matches, including a match-winning spell in the final.
The Raptors sealed the title with a six-wicket victory over Queens Sharks, successfully chasing 132 in just 15.5 overs. Dhanai led the bowling attack with figures of 3-18 from four overs, while Guyanese all-rounder Kevin Sinclair produced a superb all-round performance, claiming 3-9 from four overs, including a maiden.
Sinclair then set the tone with the bat, blasting 35 from just 12 deliveries, decorated with four fours and three sixes, as the Raptors raced toward their target. Contributions from Akshay Homraj (32), Rohit Dutchin (24) and Randall Wilson (24) ensured the chase was completed comfortably.
Queens Sharks had earlier posted 131-9 from their allotted 20 overs, with Keron Sewnarine top-scoring with 32. Dino Chooweenam made 23, while Latchman Bissoon and Dominique Rikhi added 21 and 20 respectively.
Dhanai’s impact extended throughout the tournament. He returned figures of 2-16 against Essequibo Jaguars before following up with an outstanding 3-6 against Demerara Eagles. Sinclair also featured prominently with both bat and ball during the Raptors’ unbeaten march to the title.
The Raptors opened their campaign with a dominant nine-wicket victory over Demerara Eagles in a rain-affected contest. After restricting the Eagles to 67-8 from 10 overs, thanks largely to Dhanai’s 3-6 and Sinclair’s 3-11, the Raptors raced to 68-1 in 5.3 overs, powered by an unbeaten 53 from Rohit Dutchin.
They then brushed aside Essequibo Jaguars by seven wickets. The Jaguars managed 106-9 from 20 overs, with Dhanai, Sinclair and Mario Lobban each taking two wickets. Dutchin again starred with the bat, scoring 44 as the Raptors reached 108-3 in 12.2 overs.
In their third match, Long Island Raptors overwhelmed GT Bulls by eight wickets in a rain-shortened encounter. After limiting the Bulls to 76-4 from 10 overs, Rohit Dutchin smashed an unbeaten 47 as the target was achieved in just 4.1 overs.
The tournament featured several Guyanese players and showcased strong Caribbean talent, but it was Long Island Raptors who emerged as the standout team, completing a flawless campaign to secure their maiden Guyana Cup crown.
