{"id":2125,"date":"2026-09-21T08:38:14","date_gmt":"2026-09-21T08:38:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/2026\/09\/21\/falcons-claim-maiden-cpl-title-beating-kingsmen-by-eight-wic\/"},"modified":"2026-09-21T08:38:14","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T08:38:14","slug":"falcons-claim-maiden-cpl-title-beating-kingsmen-by-eight-wic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/2026\/09\/21\/falcons-claim-maiden-cpl-title-beating-kingsmen-by-eight-wic\/","title":{"rendered":"Falcons claim maiden CPL title, beating Kingsmen by eight wickets"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<!-- Quick Adsense WordPress Plugin: http:\/\/quickadsense.com\/ -->\n<div class=\"9fece8afa224fd09e54b043d0febfb58\" data-index=\"1\" style=\"float: none; margin:10px 0 10px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- NR ATF -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8898941184964366\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"4839033563\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p>Antigua &amp; Barbuda Falcons lifted the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) trophy for the first time in the tournament\u2019s 2026 edition, beating Jamaica Kingsmen by eight wickets in a decisive final at the end of a season that began with the same two sides facing each other. The Falcons chased down a target of 171 runs, finishing on 173 for 2 in 16.4 overs, while the Kingsmen were bowled out for 170 for 9 in their allotted 20 overs.<\/p>\n<h2>Road to the final<\/h2>\n<p>The Falcons entered the playoffs with momentum built around a blend of disciplined bowling and aggressive batting. In the first Qualifier, left\u2011arm wrist spinner Sufyan Moqim produced a match\u2011turning spell of 4 for 13 against Guyana Amazon Warriors, securing the Falcons a place in the final. Moqim\u2019s performance was complemented by early breakthroughs from fast bowlers Jayden Seales and Alzarri Joseph, who each claimed two wickets in the opening Powerplay.<\/p>\n<p>Pakistan\u2019s Maaz Sadaqat, then just 21, added a historic milestone to the Falcons\u2019 campaign. In the Eliminator, he recorded 112 runs, becoming the youngest centurion in CPL history. Sadaqat followed that feat with a second century in the final, smashing 114 runs from 58 balls, a knock that anchored the Falcons\u2019 chase.<\/p>\n<p>Other notable contributions in the lead\u2011up included a solid partnership between Sadaqat and teammate Saim Ayub, who together added 80 runs off 46 deliveries after the Falcons were 30 for 2 in the fourth over of the final. The partnership took the score to 97 for 2 at the halfway point of the innings.<\/p>\n<h2>Final showdown<\/h2>\n<p>Jamaica Kingsmen won the toss and elected to bat, posting a sub\u2011par total of 170 for 9. The innings began with an aggressive display from opener Rahkeem Cornwall, who struck 4, 4, 6, 6 in the first over before being dismissed on the last ball of a 20\u2011run over bowled by Ayub. Evin Lewis then faced the new ball, taking on the Kingsmen\u2019s captain Andre Russell before Amir Jangoo removed Hunain Shah in an 18\u2011run fourth over.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the early fireworks, the Kingsmen\u2019s middle order faltered. Ayub\u2019s third over, which concluded the Powerplay, yielded 42 runs, and the team slumped from 108 for 2 to 113 for 6 within three overs. Moqim was instrumental in that collapse, dismissing Ayub and Rovman Powell in a double\u2011wicket over, followed by a wicket of Hassan Khan in the next over. He finished with figures of 4 for 14 in four overs, a performance that mirrored his earlier Qualifier spell.<\/p>\n<p>In the chase, the Falcons entered the Powerplay with a solid start. Amir Jangoo and Evin Lewis built a 64\u2011run partnership off 40 balls, laying a foundation for the middle overs. A subsequent stand between Jangoo and Hasan Nawaz added 89 runs from 54 balls, taking the Falcons past the 150\u2011run mark and erasing any doubt about the chase.<\/p>\n<p>The Kingsmen\u2019s bowling attack was further weakened when Hunain Shah suffered an injury after delivering just one ball in the 14th over, leaving the side a bowler short. The Falcons capitalised, with Jangoo taking on Vitel Lawes in the 15th over and reducing the required runs to 19 from the remaining 30 balls. Nawaz sealed the victory by hitting two sixes in the 17th over, completing the chase with eight wickets in hand.<\/p>\n<p>Key individual statistics from the final underline the contrast between the two sides. For the Kingsmen, Maaz Sadaqat\u2019s 114 was the lone highlight, supported by a modest 29 from Saim Ayub. Their bowling attack recorded a solitary wicket\u2011taking effort from Moqim (4\u201114) and a two\u2011wicket spell from Alzarri Joseph (2\u201127). The Falcons\u2019 batting line\u2011up featured Amir Jangoo\u2019s 57, Hasan Nawaz\u2019s unbeaten 47, and a supporting 38 from Evin Lewis. Vitel Lawes contributed with figures of 1\u201132.<\/p>\n<p>The final scoreline read: Jamaica Kingsmen 170\/9 (20 overs) \u2013 Maaz Sadaqat 114, Saim Ayub 29; Sufyan Moqim 4\u201114, Alzarri Joseph 2\u201127. Antigua &amp; Barbuda Falcons 173\/2 (16.4 overs) \u2013 Amir Jangoo 57, Hasan Nawaz 47* (not out), Evin Lewis 38; Vitel Lawes 1\u201132. The eight\u2011wicket victory not only secured the Falcons\u2019 maiden CPL title but also highlighted the impact of Pakistani talent in the tournament, with both Sadaqat and Moqim delivering match\u2011winning performances at crucial stages.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"font-size: 0px; height: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0; clear: both;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Antigua &#038; Barbuda Falcons secured their first Caribbean Premier League championship, defeating the Jamaica Kingsmen by eight wickets in the final.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2126,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[299],"tags":[1394,1393,2270,2271,2272],"class_list":["post-2125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-antigua-barbuda-falcons","tag-cpl-2026","tag-jamaica-kingsmen","tag-maaz-sadaqat","tag-sufyan-moqim","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2125","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2125"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2125\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2126"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2125"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2125"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2125"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}