History was made at Kensington Oval on Sunday night as the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons claimed their maiden Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) title, dismantling the Jamaica Kingsmen by eight wickets in a one-sided final.
Set 171 to win, the Falcons cruised home with 20 deliveries in hand, sparking wild celebrations among the franchise's supporters and handing Antigua and Barbuda its first CPL crown in just the team's third season in the competition.
The chase was anchored by Trinidadian wicketkeeper-batsman Amir Jangoo, whose unbeaten 57 off 34 balls — featuring four boundaries and three sixes — steered his side calmly over the line. Hasan Nawaz kept him company with a composed, undefeated 47 from 35 deliveries.
The platform, however, was laid at the top of the order. Rahkeem Cornwall detonated the innings with 20 runs off only six balls before falling early, and Evin Lewis carried the momentum forward with a punchy 38 from 26 deliveries that included five fours and two sixes. By the time Lewis departed, the result already felt inevitable.
Moqim's Magic
If the batsmen finished the job, it was Pakistani left-arm wrist-spinner Sufyan Moqim who paved the path for the Falcons' victory in the final. After the Kingsmen were sent to bat following the toss, Moqim ripped through the Jamaican middle order to return extraordinary figures of four for 14 from his full allotment of four overs.
His spell left the Kingsmen's innings in tatters around one man. Opener Maaz Sadaqat waged a lone battle, hammering a breathtaking 114 from 58 balls — eight fours and nine sixes at a strike rate approaching 200 — before he was finally taken by Joshua James off a Shamar Springer delivery in the last over.
