West Indies spinner Gudakesh Motie made a strong return to first-class cricket after being away from the format for more than a year. Playing for Guyana in the West Indies Championship, the left-arm spinner delivered an impressive bowling performance against Windward Islands.
Motie finished with figures of 6 wickets for 73 runs, helping his team bowl out Windward Islands for 286. The performance marked another major milestone in his first-class career.
Motie Shines on First-Class Comeback
Gudakesh Motie had not played first-class cricket for over a year before this match. However, he made an immediate impact on his return.
Bowling for Guyana, the spinner took six wickets and controlled the middle phase of the innings. It was the seventh six-wicket haul of his first-class career and one of his best performances with the ball.
The spell reminded fans and selectors of his ability to perform in the longer format of the game.
Motie’s Bowling Performance
| Bowler | Figures |
|---|---|
| Gudakesh Motie | 6 wickets for 73 runs |
What Happened During the Match
Windward Islands chose to bat first and managed to post a total of 286 runs. The innings started steadily, with opener Ackeem Auguste playing a key role at the top of the order.
Auguste came close to scoring a century but eventually fell short of the milestone.
Motie changed the course of the innings after dismissing Sunil Ambris. From that point onward, he dominated the bowling attack.
The spinner picked up five of the last six wickets, including the important wicket of Auguste, finishing with match figures of 6-73.
Match Summary
| Team | Innings | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windward Islands | First Innings | 286 all out | Auguste top-scored; Motie took 6-73 |
| Guyana | First Innings | 1 over, 0/0 | Day ended after one over |
Guyana later started their reply but faced only one over before the day’s play ended.
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Motie’s Journey Back to Form
Motie has faced a challenging period in international cricket recently.
Last year he was rested from the West Indies Test squad after playing in the Pakistan series. He was also not included in the Test tour of India.
Later in the season, he was left out of the T20I squad for the New Zealand tour due to concerns about form.
Despite these setbacks, Motie performed well during the 2026 T20 World Cup, finishing among the joint-highest wicket-takers for West Indies.
PSL Opportunity and Travel Issues
After the T20 World Cup, there were reports that Motie might play in the Pakistan Super League. However, the move did not happen.
The West Indies team reportedly remained in India for a longer period due to airspace closures linked to a regional conflict, which affected travel plans.
Because of this situation, Motie could not take part in the tournament.
New Format in the West Indies Championship
The domestic first-class competition has also changed its format this season.
Instead of a round-robin structure, the tournament now follows a bilateral series format where teams play multiple matches against the same opponents.
This new structure means players will have more chances to perform across longer contests.
Motie’s six-wicket haul is an important step in his comeback to red-ball cricket.
If he continues to perform strongly in the West Indies Championship, he could strengthen his chances of returning to the West Indies Test team.
Selectors will closely watch his performances throughout the domestic season.
For now, his successful return with 6-73 has given him a strong start and renewed hope for a place back in the national Test setup.
