photo by Antigua & Barbuda Falcons
Antigua and Barbuda Falcons’ Caribbean Premier League campaign came to an end at Providence on Monday night as Trinbago Knight Riders demolished them by nine wickets in the Eliminator, advancing to Qualifier 2 with 15 balls to spare.
The Falcons were restricted to 166 for 8 despite a promising start that saw Amir Jangoo and Andries Gous compile a 108-run partnership for the second wicket. However, their century stand consumed 85 deliveries, failing to provide the acceleration needed.
Jangoo contributed 55 runs from 49 balls while Gous top-scored with 61 from 45 deliveries, but both batsmen fell in the 17th over to spinner Usman Tariq. At that stage, the Falcons had managed only 130 runs, leaving them reliant on late hitting from Shakib Al Hasan, who smashed an unbeaten 26 from just nine balls with four boundaries and a six to push the total to 166.
The Knight Riders bowling attack was led by Saurabh Netravalkar, who claimed 3 for 23 in his four-over spell, while Tariq finished with 2 for 19. Andre Russell also chipped in with 2 for 30 as the Falcons struggled to build momentum throughout their innings.
Knight Riders’ chase began with Colin Munro and Alex Hales putting together 25 runs in the first three overs before Munro’s dismissal brought Nicholas Pooran to the crease. The left-handed wicket-keeper immediately signaled his intent, launching his first legitimate delivery from Rahkeem Cornwall over the deep midwicket boundary for six.
Hales joined the assault with three sixes in the final powerplay over, also off Cornwall’s bowling, as Knight Riders reached 59 without further loss after six overs. From that point, the match became a one-sided affair.
The destructive partnership between Pooran and Hales effectively ended the contest. Pooran was particularly severe on Cornwall and Shakib, smashing multiple sixes in consecutive overs during the middle phase of the innings. His eighth and final maximum, struck off Jayden Seales in the 18th over, sealed the comprehensive victory.
Pooran remained unbeaten on 90 from 53 balls, while Hales contributed 54 not out from 40 deliveries in an unbroken 143-run stand for the second wicket.
The defeat ends Antigua and Barbuda Falcons‘ CPL season, while Knight Riders advance to face either Guyana Amazon Warriors or St Lucia Kings in Qualifier 2, keeping alive their hopes of capturing a record fifth CPL title.
Pooran needs to disciplined for his unsportmanship towards the empires … That should never ever be tolerated in the game of cricket in fact in any sport…I felt ashame and therefore did not continue watching the game. No one mam is bigger than the sport and this behavior was seen world wide …it brings shame to be the CPL…
Cornwall’s omission from the squad could have proved beneficial. He looked sloppy and performed even sloppier with the ball and bat. “Sell” Cornwall to the highest bidder, if any, and let’s move on! Thanks Falcons for your Herculean effort this year. Now I can relax and watch my next best team, the Amazon Warriors.
Trinbago have been here before, and it showed. Their bowlers kept their cool, stuck to their plans, and then Pooran’s explosive batting made the chase look easy. Experience at this stage of the tournament always counts
It was disappointing to see no clear plan once Pooran came to the crease. Everyone knows his game, yet the Falcons served him exactly the type of deliveries he loves to hit. That lack of planning showed in how easily Trinbago won
Congratulations Trinbago. Now that’s a damn whooping doe sure.
Falcons you did well. Better luck next year
The bowling attack didn’t look threatening at all in the chase. Bringing in a different pace option or even saving Shakib for earlier overs might have changed the momentum. The decision-making just wasn’t sharp enough
Sometimes what seem like a losss is a winnnnnnnn
Regardless of the result, it was fantastic to see a packed Providence enjoying quality cricket. The CPL continues to showcase the region’s talent and passion for the game
By the 17th over, the Falcons were only at 130. That left way too much pressure on the lower order. A smarter approach would have been to rotate strike earlier and keep wickets for an all-out assault in the last 5 overs