Antigua and Barbuda Falcons soar to victory: Breaking down their historic win against TKR in the 2024 Men's CPL

The Antigua Falcons faced a crucial opportunity to secure a home game victory in the 2024 Men's CPL against TKR, who had won the tournament five times. TKR won the toss and opted to field first. The Falcons began their innings with Fakhar Zaman and Justin Greaves as the opening pair, who had a solid start with a partnership of 63 runs in 5.2 overs. By the tenth over, the Falcons were 86/1, with Zaman scoring 38 runs off 25 balls and Primus contributing 8 runs off 16 balls. Greaves was dismissed for 37 runs, caught by Pooran off Narine's bowling.

After 12.3 overs, the Falcons reached a total of 100 runs, and by the 15th over, they were at 122/3 with Wasim and Andrew at the crease. The team seemed on track to potentially reach a total of 170 runs. As the last over began, the Falcons were 165/4, with Wasim on 45 off 25 balls and Allen on 18 off 9 balls. With three balls remaining in the innings, Allen hit a magnificent six, bringing the total to 173. The Falcons posted a final score of 176, which felt slightly inadequate and vulnerable to a chase by TKR.

TKR's innings started with Sunil Narine and Andries Gous as the opening pair. The Falcons made an early breakthrough by dismissing Narine. TKR appeared to be stabilizing their innings at 71/1 by the tenth over, but the momentum shifted in favor of the Falcons. Allen's exceptional performance, including dismissing Parris and Pooran, turned the tide. As the match progressed, TKR required 45 runs from 24 balls. Pollard and Karty posed a threat in the middle, but the Falcons remained focused.

In a surprising turn of events, the Falcons, known for faltering in crucial moments, displayed resilience and determination. Amir claimed Pollard's wicket, and Primus, against expectations, took charge by dismissing Russell and bowling the final over, leading the Falcons to a hard-fought victory. Post-match, Primus expressed his confidence in delivering for the team despite facing criticism. The win, coming at a critical juncture, provided a significant morale boost for the Falcons as they prepared for upcoming away matches. This victory could set the stage for a successful run towards the semi-finals, starting with a match against the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in Basseterre.