The Antigua and Barbuda Falcons became the first team to secure a place in this year’s Caribbean Premier League final after defeating the Guyana Amazon Warriors by nine wickets at Kensington Oval on Thursday.
Player-of-the-Match Shadab Khan and Rahkeem Cornwall were instrumental in the victory, with Khan leading the Falcons’ bowling attack and Cornwall starring with the bat.
The Falcons will face the winner of Friday’s qualifier between the Amazon Warriors and Jamaica Kingsmen in Sunday’s final.
The Amazon Warriors struggled after being sent in to bat, reaching 36 for one at the end of the powerplay, with Mavendra Dindyal dismissed for 11.
Rahkeem Cornwall smashed 49 from just 16 balls. (CPL T20)
The Warriors appeared to have steadied at 40 without further loss at the end of the seventh over, but their innings then fell apart.
They lost eight wickets for just nine runs to plunge to 49 for nine in the 11th over before being bowled out for 76 in the 15th.
A last-wicket stand of 27 between Romario Shepherd and Shamar Joseph helped the Warriors avoid an even lower total.
Glenn Phillips and Shai Hope shared a joint top score of 16, while for the Falcons, Khan grabbed four wickets for 16 runs and Sufyan Moqim four for 14.
Faced with a modest victory target, Cornwall wasted little time in sealing the Falcons’ place in the final, blasting 49 from just 16 balls, including six sixes and three fours.
Fellow opener Evin Lewis added 23 not out from 13 balls, as the Falcons raced to victory at 77 for one in the sixth over of their reply.
Falcons skipper Moeen Ali admitted he had some doubts ahead of the encounter.
“I’m very happy that we’ve made it to the final with that sort of performance. It would’ve been amazing if it was in the final. But I was a bit apprehensive, obviously.
“We haven’t played for seven, eight days and you’re not sure exactly what you’re going to get from the guys, but we were amazing. I thought the bowlers did an amazing job on a good wicket actually. Then the spinners in the middle just ripped through them,” Khan added.
Sunday’s final will be the first for the Falcons franchise and Moeen is hopeful the team will secure the title for their loyal fan base.
“A big part of it is to make them happy and proud of us. If we can have one more big push, because the support we got in Antigua was actually amazing for us.
“They have an amazing passion for the game and they really want us to do well. We feel like part of the family and it’s amazing to have that feeling.”
For Amazon Warriors captain Imran Tahir, Friday’s game against the Kingsmen is an opportunity to make good to their fans.
“I think only the promise is that we’re going to come back and we won’t let them down. I’m just really sorry, you know, they come in massive numbers from the USA and Guyana. So you know, we have to put in a very big performance for them,” he said. (KH)
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