Shadab powers Falcons to the top with stellar all-round show

For the second time in as many games, Shadab Khan delivered an outstanding all-round performance as Antigua and Barbuda Falcons secured their second home victory in CPL 2026 by defeating Trinbago Knight Riders by five wickets at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. The win propelled the Falcons to the top of the points table. Shadab gave away just eight runs in his four overs for a wicket before scoring an unbeaten 20-ball 52. Rain delayed the match briefly after the toss, which the Falcons won, allowing them to bat first. The Knight Riders scored 73 in the Powerplay, losing Alex Hales early, with Colin Munro and Nicholas Pooran contributing early runs, including multiple reverse hits off Moeen Ali. Once Pooran fell for 43 in the eighth over, TKR struggled further, with Shadab removing Munro and Matthew Breetzke, while Kieron Pollard and Jyd Goolie failed to advance. Joshua James took 2/23 in his four overs. An unbeaten 34-run stand between Sunil Narine and Terrance Hinds brought the Knight Riders to 165. In response, Rahkeem Cornwall took Narine for 14 runs but was soon run out. Narine tied the score, and the Powerplay produced just 33 runs. Evin Lewis (10 off 14) and Hasan Nawaz departed cheaply, while Amir Jangoo scored 31 off 36 balls. Once he fell, the Falcons were at 80/4 with a high run rate. Moeen Ali attempted a counterattack with a four and a six off Usman Tariq, but Pollard halted it on 11. Shadab took charge in the death overs, supported by Kusal Perera, who scored crucial boundaries off Narine and Tariq. The chase ended with a 27-run 18th over, where Shadab reeled off three sixes from Nathan Edwards, who was later removed for sending two full tosses above the waist. Shadab capitalized on the momentum, slamming Terrance Hinds for two more sixes, including the winning hit that secured his fifty. The Falcons turned a challenging chase into a walk in the end, continuing their impressive home run.