Moeen’s six seals thriller as Falcons stun Patriots in home CPL opener

The Antigua & Barbuda Falcons waited until the final moments, then produced the kind of finish that can change the mood of an entire Caribbean Premier League (CPL) campaign.

In their first home match of the season, the Falcons chased down 188 against the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots with three wickets and three balls remaining Thursday night at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, completing a thrilling three-wicket victory in Match 12 of the Republic Bank CPL.

Evin Lewis provided the early surge, Shadab Khan supplied the middle-overs acceleration and captain Moeen Ali delivered the decisive blows at the finish as the Falcons climbed to four points from four matches.

Shanaka turns trouble into a 187 total

For much of the Patriots’ innings, 187 looked unlikely.

The visitors reached 51 for one during the PowerPlay after Johnson Charles and Jayden Seales engaged in an absorbing opening battle. Charles threatened to break free before Seales finally won the contest, removing the dangerous opener for 17.

The conditions demanded patience. A strong cross-breeze and a surface offering early grip and turn made fluent stroke-making difficult, and the Falcons used those conditions to squeeze the Patriots through the middle overs.

Shadab Khan and Fabian Allen tightened the screws, with Kyle Mayers falling for 34. Andre Fletcher was then run out for 20 in the same over, leaving the Patriots suddenly vulnerable at 80 for four in the 11th.

Khan compounded their problems with a superb googly that beat Kevin Wickham and bowled him for two.

The Patriots, however, had one explosive card left to play.

Shanaka’s late assault changes everything

Dasun Shanaka transformed the innings with a breathtaking assault at the death.

The Falcons had worked hard to restrict the Patriots, but they could not contain Shanaka during the final three overs. The Sri Lankan all-rounder ripped into the bowling, collecting 55 runs from the last 18 deliveries to turn a modest-looking total into a daunting 187 for six.

Shanaka finished unbeaten on 49 from just 17 balls, striking five fours and four sixes.

Shamar Springer was Antigua and Barbuda’s leading bowler with two wickets for 42 runs, but the damage had been done.

The Falcons now faced a demanding chase.

Lewis gives Falcons the spark

Their pursuit began badly.

Amir Jangoo lasted only four deliveries before Obed McCoy produced an outstanding catch at short third man to remove him for two.

Lewis, however, refused to panic.

The experienced left-hander took time to assess the surface and the conditions before beginning to find his range. Once he did, the Patriots struggled to contain him.

Lewis launched five sixes during an aggressive 48 before Kyle Mayers finally ended his stay at long-on.

By then, however, Lewis had done enough to ensure that the Falcons remained firmly in the contest.

Shadab keeps the chase alive

Hasan Nawaz continued the momentum before Shadab Khan accelerated the innings with a blistering 30 from only 12 deliveries.

The Pakistan all-rounder appeared ready to tilt the match decisively toward the Falcons, but Wanindu Hasaranga produced a superb running catch to end his assault.

The Patriots kept striking at important moments, preventing the Falcons from cruising.

Yet the earlier contributions from Lewis, Nawaz and Shadab had quietly kept the required rate within reach.

Then came Springer.

Springer and Moeen deliver the finish

With the Falcons needing a late injection of momentum, Shamar Springer supplied exactly that.

He hammered 15 from six balls, reducing the equation to seven runs from the final over.

That left the outcome in the hands of the Falcons captain.

Moeen Ali responded in emphatic fashion.

He sliced a boundary over short third man before launching a huge six, sending the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium into celebration and completing the three-wicket victory with three balls remaining.

The finish capped a chase in which the Falcons repeatedly absorbed pressure without allowing the required rate to escape them.

Falcons climb as Patriots remain bottom

The victory moves Antigua & Barbuda to four points from four matches and gives the Falcons considerable momentum heading into their next assignment.

They will return to action Saturday against defending champions Trinbago Knight Riders.

For the Patriots, the defeat leaves them at the bottom of the CPL standings with two points from four games.

They now head home for their own home leg, beginning next Thursday against the Jamaica Kingsmen at Warner Park.

After a night in which the Patriots appeared to have seized control with Shanaka’s extraordinary finish, the Falcons proved that in a CPL chase, the match is never truly decided until the final ball.

And on this occasion, Moeen Ali made sure the last word belonged to Antigua & Barbuda.