‘Motie fell to his own success’ — President Ali hails spinner’s global rise 

President Irfaan Ali says Guyanese cricketer Gudakesh Motie has become a symbol of national pride and unity, joking that the left-arm spinner “fell to his own success” after being snapped up early during recent CPL franchise league drafts.

Speaking Friday evening at the opening of the Guyana Festival 2026 celebrations at the Providence Stadium, President Ali used Motie’s growing international cricket success as an example of how sports and culture can bring Guyanese together beyond politics and ethnic divisions.

“All day my phone was going off. Social media was buzzing. All of Guyana was united around why Motie was going to a different team,” the President said to loud reactions from the crowd.

Ali said Motie’s early selection in the franchise draft prevented many Guyanese supporters from seeing him remain available longer in the bidding process, joking that the spinner was ultimately “a victim of his own success.”

The comments come as Motie’s profile continues to rise rapidly across global T20 cricket.

The Guyanese spinner was drafted by the Barbados Tridents in the Caribbean Premier League after previously representing the Guyana Amazon Warriors.

Internationally, Motie has also secured lucrative franchise opportunities, including a contract with the Paarl Royals in South Africa’s SA20 tournament and selection by the Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League.

Ali said the nationwide reactions surrounding Motie’s franchise movement demonstrated the emotional power of sports in Guyana and how shared national pride can temporarily erase political and social divisions.