SENSATIONAL SHAKIB PUTS FALCONS BACK ON WINNING COURSE
Game eleven of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) was another riveting contest that went down to the final over with Antigua & Barbuda Falcons pipping Saint Kitts & Nevis Patriots by 7 wickets with just two balls remaining.
Imad Wasim won the toss and the Falcons chose to bowl first in their last match on home soil in this tournament. A solid effort with the ball and in the field saw three run outs in the final over as the Patriots failed to fire with the bat and lost regular wickets.
Jayden Seales impressed with a threatening and economical set of four overs that saw him return frugal figures of 1/20.
Shakib Al Hasan took the headlines in the Falcon’s fielding effort though, bagging three wickets that saw him make history first player first to take 500 wickets and 7000 runs in T20s. Mohammed Rizwan was his unlucky 500th victim, a return catch was offered and pouched in nonchalant fashion. He was duly rewarded as Player Of The Match.
A total of 133/9 was below par but the Patriots fought hard to restrict the scoring during the chase, a tense encounter bubbled along with Karima Gore playing a decisive hand, scoring his third half century of the tournament to get his side over the line at the last.
Jason Holder bowled the final over with three runs needed off it, the tension was palpable but Gore held his nerve to strike a four down the ground that burst through the hands of the fielder at mid-on hands and sealed the win in front of jubilant home support.
The Falcons chalked up their third win of the campaign to extend their lead at the top of the table by three points over Guyana Amazon Warriors albeit they have played six matches to the Warriors two.
The defeat leaves the Patriots in mid-table with a few injury niggles floating around the camp that will be a concern to Holder and their fans as the tournament progresses deeper.
MATCH PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE HERE AND CAN BE USED FOR EDITORIAL PURPOSES. (CREDIT: CPL VIA GETTY IMAGES)
POST MATCH INTERVIEWS FROM THIS GAME CAN BE DOWNLOADED HERE. (CREDIT CPLT20)
