Antigua and Barbuda Falcons chase down 171 to win a maiden CPL title

Antigua and Barbuda Falcons won the Caribbean Premier League for the first time, overhauling Jamaica Kingsmen's 170 for 9 at Kensington Oval with 20 balls to spare

The Antigua and Barbuda Falcons are champions of the Caribbean Premier League at the third attempt, beating the Jamaica Kingsmen by eight wickets in Sunday's final in Bridgetown.

Moeen Ali put the Kingsmen in, and Sufyan Moqim returned 4-14 to hold them to 170 for 9 despite a hundred from Maaz Sadaqat. The Falcons replied with 173 for 2 in 16.4 overs.

It was a final between the two newest sides in the competition. The Kingsmen were playing their first season, the Falcons only their third.

Sadaqat's hundred and little else

Maaz Sadaqat made 114 from 58 balls with eight fours and nine sixes, opening the innings and batting deep into it. It was the first century made in a CPL final.

No other Kingsmen batter passed 29. Saim Ayub made 29 from 22 at number four and was the only team-mate to reach double figures.

Sadaqat's innings accounted for more than half his side's total. Kirk McKenzie was caught by Rahkeem Cornwall off Jayden Seales, and Keacy Carty was taken by Shadab Khan at cover.

A start that had promised a great deal more left the Falcons chasing 171.

Moqim strikes twice in his first over

Sufyan Moqim took two wickets in his opening over and finished with 4-14 from his four, the spell that decided where the trophy went. He was named player of the match.

Alzarri Joseph took 2-27, with Shadab Khan, Shamar Springer and Jayden Seales claiming one apiece.

Nine wickets fell in all, and only Sadaqat's strike rate kept the Kingsmen within range of a defendable score.

Cornwall and Lewis take the chase away

Rahkeem Cornwall hit 20 from six balls before being bowled off the last delivery of the first over, and the Falcons were 76 for 1 at the end of the powerplay.

Evin Lewis made 38 from 26 and fell in the eighth over. By then the required rate had been taken out of the contest, and the Kingsmen's spinners were bowling to an already broken equation.

Saim Ayub and Vitel Lawes took the only two wickets of the innings.

Jangoo and Nawaz finish it unbeaten

Amir Jangoo finished on 57 not out from 34 balls and Hasan Nawaz on 47 not out from 35, the pair seeing the chase home without being separated.

Nawaz hit the winning six with 20 balls unused, and the Falcons squad came onto the outfield at Kensington Oval to meet the two batters.

A first title for the newest champions

"Yeah, very special. I think more for the franchise, more for the players and the coaching staff and everybody that was involved," Moeen Ali said at the presentation. "It's been a tough journey, but a great journey. The time's gone quick for us because we've enjoyed each other's company, and you can see on the field the way we played."

Moeen joined the squad late after a replacement deal with Southern Brave in the Hundred, and took charge from the Falcons' third match of the season.

The Kingsmen were confirmed as the league's seventh franchise in February, owned by Kingsmen Sports Enterprise and led by its group president Fawad Sarwar, and reached the final in their first season.

Shadab Khan was named player of the tournament for 132 runs and 11 wickets. Quinton de Kock of the Barbados Tridents finished as the leading run-scorer with 392.

Scorecard: Jamaica Kingsmen 170 for 9 (20 overs) lost to Antigua and Barbuda Falcons 173 for 2 (16.4 overs) by eight wickets at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown.

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