Shadab, Moeen trump Shanaka as Falcons make winning start to home leg

Cameos from Shadab Khan and captain Moeen Ali trumped Dasun Shanaka’s unbeaten 49, as Antigua and Barbuda Falcons recorded a three-wicket win over St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in their first home fixture of CPL 2026 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Looking to avoid a hat-trick of defeats, the Falcons’ chase got off to a poor start with Amir Jangoo’s dismissal in the opening over. Karima Gore broke free with a breezy 22 but fell to Jason Holder in the sixth over, with the Falcons managing 47 in the Powerplay. The asking rate mounted through the middle phase, however, and the Falcons were well behind the eight-ball curve at 85/2 in 12 overs.

The acceleration soon came as Hasan Nawaz and Evin Lewis, who was on 24 off 25 at one stage, switched gears. Lewis top-scored with 48 and was helped along the way by a couple of dropped catches. While both batters fell off successive deliveries, Shadab wasted no time in asserting himself with two early sixes off Holder. He manipulated the field expertly to give the Falcons the edge, although another double-strike dented the hosts – Holder removed Shadab before Kusal Perera was run out.

Moeen took charge alongside Shamar Springer in a 16-run Shanaka over. Springer then struck a four and a six off Waqar Salamkheil to bring the equation down to under a run-a-ball although he fell immediately after. But with seven runs needed in the final over, Moeen took Shanaka down to secure a crucial win for his side.

Earlier in the evening, the Patriots raced to 51 in the Powerplay thanks to a quickfire Kyle Mayers start. But they lost their way in the middle-overs, losing three wickets for four runs as the Falcons kept a check on the scoring rate. Shadab was the pick of the bowlers, going for just 22 runs off his four despite his final over alone producing 11 of those runs.

It was only when Shanaka entered the scene in the 17th over that the momentum swung the Patriots’ way. He was dropped off his second delivery and he made the Falcons pay, beginning with two fours and a six off Jayden Seales. Springer speared four wides in the 19th over, before Shanaka unleashed his best against Alzarri Joseph in a belligerent 24-run final over as the Patriots smashed 55 runs off the last three. But even that late surge went in vain as they sunk to their third defeat of the season.

Brief Scores: St Kitts and Nevis Patriots 187/6 in 20 overs (Dasun Shanaka 49*, Kyle Mayers 34; Shamar Springer 2-42, Shadab Khan 1-22) lost to Antigua and Barbuda Falcons 191/7 in 19.3 overs (Evin Lewis 48, Shadab Khan 30, Moeen Ali 25*; Jason Holder 2-39) by 3 wickets