Finally, Trinbago Knight Riders ended their losing streak against Antigua and Barbuda Falcons with a dominating eight-wicket win in the 14th match of the series.
The victory, made on a disciplined bowling attempt led by Mohammad Amir and a constant run chase anchored by Alex Hales and Keacy Carty, registered Trinbago’s maiden victory against their Caribbean rivals after three previous defeats.
Batting first, the Falcons struggled to post a competitive score. Early breakthroughs from Amir and Ali Khan put them under immediate pressure. Amir, who found swing with the new ball, struck crucial blows to derail the top order. “The wicket was offering some help early on. When there is help ,I always try to swing the new ball. Everybody is doing it on social media, so I thought I would also do it (referring to his aura farming kid celebration),” said Amir, who was named Player of the Match.
The Falcons’ innings never quite recovered, as wickets tumbled in clusters. At one point, they lost three batters in just four deliveries. Skipper Imad Wasim, who later revealed he had picked up a quad injury, admitted the team fell well short of a par score. “We were 20-30 runs short to be honest as it was a good batting wicket. Losing wickets in clusters does not help, we lost 3 wickets in 4 balls at one stage,” he said.
Despite the dew making batting easier, the Falcons’ 15-20 run deficit left them vulnerable in the chase. Wasim reflected on their shortcomings, adding: “It is the later part of the tournament and we have to be up for it from ball one. Today Karim got out early and we lost few wickets in the powerplay which happened for the first time this season. We will sit and talk about it. It is just another game, but your approach to the game should be right and we need to turn up red hot for the next game.”
Trinbago’s reply started cautiously, with Hales struggling for timing but showing grit to occupy the crease. His 87-run partnership with Keacy Carty laid the platform for victory. Carty was the more fluent of the two, striking regular boundaries and reaching his third CPL half-century, though he fell short of seeing the team home.
Captain Nicholas Pooran, short of runs in earlier matches, played a composed hand to finish the job. He shared an unbeaten stand with Hales and sealed the game in style with a six off Jayden Seales in the 19th over. “It feels good to win especially against Antigua as they have got the better of us in the last few games. Amir led the way for us, gave Ali Khan the new ball because was swinging. Akeal and Narine bowled well in the middle and death overs. The discipline sticks out. We had to work really hard and CPL is a difficult tournament,” Pooran said.
The skipper also lauded the home fans: “Trinidad is amazing and we know whenever we come here they turn up, hope we continue to put smiles on their faces.”
With this victory, Trinbago Knight Riders gained valuable momentum in the tournament while sending a reminder that they remain strong contenders for the title.
