Antigua & Barbuda Falcons beat Trinbago Knight Riders by 8 runs – Caribbean Premier League Match Report
Antigua & Barbuda Falcons won by 8 runs in the 24th match of 39 in the Caribbean Premier League 2026 at Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain. Rahkeem Cornwall delivered a defining all-round performance – 20 off 7 balls with the bat and 3/17 with the ball – as the Falcons held their nerve to edge Trinbago Knight Riders in a tight contest. The win lifts Antigua & Barbuda to first place (5W 3L 1NR, 11pts) while Trinbago remain sixth (2W 6L, 4pts) and slipping further from playoff contention.
Antigua & Barbuda Post 183
Trinbago won the toss and elected to bowl, but Hasan Nawaz took charge of the Falcons’ innings with a commanding 76 off 48 balls (9 fours, 3 sixes) at a strike rate of 158. Evin Lewis opened with 24 off 23 (2 fours, 2 sixes) before falling caught at 52/1 in the 6th over. Rahkeem Cornwall then exploded with 20 off just 7 balls (5 fours) at a strike rate of 286, blasting the Falcons from 40/2 to 62/3 before being clean bowled at 40/2 in the 3rd over. Amir Jangoo managed only 6 off 15 (strike rate 40) before falling LBW at 62/3 in the 9th over.
Nawaz anchored the middle overs brilliantly, building crucial partnerships to steer the Falcons towards a competitive total. Moeen Ali finished unbeaten on 32 off 24 (3 fours, 1 six) at a strike rate of 133, while Shadab Khan added quick runs late with 7 off 3 (1 six) to push the total to 183/4. Akeal Hosein was the pick of Trinbago’s bowlers with 1/35 from 4 overs, while Lahiru Kumara took 1/34 from 3, Usman Tariq 1/25 from 4, and Justin Greaves 1/31 from 3.
Trinbago Fall Eight Runs Short
Trinbago started their chase with intent. Colin Munro struck 18 off 9 (3 fours, 1 six) at a strike rate of 200 before falling caught at 19/1 in the 1st over. Sunil Narine departed for just 1 at 20/2 in the 1st over, and Alex Hales managed 8 off 9 before falling caught at 40/3 in the 4th over.
Nicholas Pooran provided a brief spark with 22 off 10 (2 fours, 2 sixes) at a strike rate of 220, but fell caught at 57/4 in the 5th over. Justin Greaves (18 off 15, 1 four, 1 six) was clean bowled at 93/5 in the 10th over, and Kieron Pollard made 41 off 36 (3 fours, 2 sixes) before falling caught at 148/6 in the 17th over.
Joshua Da Silva fought hard with 54 off 31 (3 fours, 5 sixes) at a strike rate of 174, but Trinbago could only reach 175/7 – eight runs adrift. Terrance Hinds was run out for 0 at 148/8 in the 17th over, while Akeal Hosein finished unbeaten on 4 off 6.
Rahkeem Cornwall was the standout bowler for Antigua & Barbuda, taking 3/17 from 3 overs at an economy of 5.67. Joshua James took 2/40 from 4 overs, while Shamar Springer claimed 1/24 from 3.
Statz MVP: Rahkeem Cornwall (Statz Rating: 144.28)
Rahkeem Cornwall earns the Statz MVP award with a Statz Rating of 144.28. His explosive 20 off 7 with the bat provided the late-innings acceleration that proved crucial, while his 3/17 from 3 overs with the ball was economical and match-defining under pressure. Statz calculates impact based on match context, and Cornwall’s combined contribution across both disciplines was decisive in securing the eight-run victory.
Top 5 Statz Ratings
- Rahkeem Cornwall (ABF) – Statz Rating: 144.28 | 20 off 7 (SR 286) plus 3/17 from 3 overs. Explosive all-round display in a tight contest.
- Hasan Nawaz (ABF) – Statz Rating: 80.86 | 76 off 48 (SR 158, 9 fours, 3 sixes). Anchored the Falcons’ innings with authority.
- Joshua Da Silva (TKR) – Statz Rating: 72.08 | 54 off 31 (SR 174, 3 fours, 5 sixes). Nearly won the match single-handedly in defeat.
- Nicholas Pooran (TKR) – Statz Rating: 46.64 | 22 off 10 (SR 220, 2 fours, 2 sixes). Brief but explosive contribution in the chase.
- Justin Greaves (TKR) – Statz Rating: 44.35 | 18 off 15 with the bat plus 1/31 from 3 overs. Solid effort in both disciplines.
Turning Point
The match turned when Nicholas Pooran was caught for 22 at 57/4 in the 5th over (ball 5.3). Pooran had been striking at 220 and threatening to shift the momentum decisively, but his dismissal left Trinbago needing 127 off 87 balls with the middle order exposed. Though Da Silva fought back, the loss of Pooran’s aggressive intent proved costly.
Match Context
This was the 24th match of 39 in the Caribbean Premier League 2026 group stage. Antigua & Barbuda Falcons (1st, 5W 3L 1NR, 11pts) consolidate their position at the summit with a hard-fought away victory. Trinbago Knight Riders (6th, 2W 6L, 4pts) slip further behind and face an uphill battle to reach the playoffs. See the full scorecard on Statz for the complete breakdown, or explore the bet builder for this fixture.
