PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Defending Women’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) champions Barbados Royals got off to a winning start in this year’s tournament with a thrilling one-wicket win over the Guyana Amazon Warriors at the Brian Lara Stadium here Wednesday.

In a repeat of last year’s final, the Royals were led by an outstanding performance by their captain Hayley Matthews, which helped them get up to 119-9 off 19.5 overs in reply to the Warriors’ total of 118-9.

Matthews, the best female T20 all-rounder in the world, smashed a match-winning unbeaten 61 from 58 balls, inclusive of seven boundaries, and also grabbed two wickets to predictably take home the Player-of-the-Match award.

With wickets falling all around her, Matthews found a reliable partner in Qiana Joseph, with the pair adding 42 runs in five overs after the Royals had stumbled to 50-4.

The Royals were strolling to victory at 92-4, before Joseph, who made 24, became one of four wickets picked up by medium pacer Shabnim Ismail to spark a middle order collapse.

Ismail also snared the wicket of Chinelle Henry for four, as the Royals lost five wickets for 23 runs to find themselves in deep trouble at 115-9.

But Matthews held her cool, and together with last batter Shakera Selman, steered Royals across the finish line.

Earlier, Warriors’ top five batters all got starts but failed to capitalise, as they capitulated from 100 for four in the 17th over to lose their last five wickets for the addition of just 18 runs.

Stafanie Taylor led the Warriors with 38, but once she was dismissed Matthews and Amanda Jade-Wellington shared four wickets between them to ensure they were no late fireworks.

Medium pacer Aaliyah Alleyne was the pick of the Royals bowlers with 3-21 — including the prized scalp of Taylor — while Matthews, Jade-Wellington and Joseph all grabbed two wickets apiece.