A devastating spin-bowling display from Shadab Khan and Sufyan Moqim propelled the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons directly into the Caribbean Premier League final. During the Qualifier 1 clash in Bridgetown on Thursday, September 18, the Falcons secured a dominant nine-wicket victory over the table-topping Guyana Amazon Warriors. After rolling their opponents over for a meager total of 76 runs, the Falcons made quick work of the chase, wrapping up the win in a mere 5.2 overs.
Spin Duo Triggers Catastrophic Batting Collapse
Choosing to bat first did not yield the desired results for the Guyana squad, who had suffered another batting failure in their prior match when they were bowled out for 99. Here, they started cautiously to reach 34 for 1 during the initial six overs. However, the introduction of Pakistani spin bowling changed the entire complexion of the innings. Sufyan Moqim initiated the slide by removing both Glenn Phillips and Amir Jangoo in the eighth over, leaving the Warriors vulnerable.
Shadab Khan then produced a spectacular hat-trick to break the spine of the Warriors’ batting lineup. He first dismissed Shimron Hetmyer through a catch, followed by trapping Mehidy Hasan Miraz leg-before-wicket, and finally bowling Quentin Sampson on the consecutive delivery. The wickets continued to tumble as Moqim sent back Khary Pierre and Shai Hope in the tenth over, and Shadab bowled Imran Tahir in the eleventh. This saw the Warriors plummet from a stable 40 for 1 to an astonishing 49 for 9.
Tail-End Resistance and a Brief Fightback
The last pair of Romario Shepherd and Shamar Joseph delayed the inevitable by putting together a 27-run partnership for the tenth wicket. Despite their efforts to bring respectability to the scorecard, the team was eventually bowled out for 76 by the end of the 15th over when Shamar Springer claimed the final wicket. Moqim finished with stellar figures of 4 for 13, while Shadab collected 4 for 16.
Ruthless Run Chase Seals One-Sided Victory
The Antigua and Barbuda chase was characterized by aggressive boundary-hitting, initiated by Rahkeem Cornwall who hit two sixes and a four in the opening over off Imran Tahir. Cornwall continued his onslaught by collecting 26 runs from the third over bowled by Khary Pierre. Evin Lewis joined the scoring frenzy in the fourth over by striking 21 runs off Shamar Joseph. Although Cornwall was eventually dismissed by Tahir for 49 in the fifth over, Lewis remained unbeaten on 23 to guide the Falcons home. Despite their league-stage dominance, the Warriors must now play the Jamaica Kingsmen in Qualifier 2 for another chance to reach the final. The report also notes that with Shadab Khan registering a hat-trick, the Falcons chased the target down in just 5.2 overs to secure a place in the final, after bundling the Warriors out for just 76.
