By Anas Ahmed 
The Trinbago Knight Riders stormed back to form with a commanding nine-wicket victory over the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons in the Eliminator of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025, keeping their title hopes alive.
This result ended the Falcons’ historic first knockout-stage appearance, while giving Trinbago renewed belief in their pursuit of a first CPL title since 2020.
Falcons Collapse After Strong Start
Batting first, the Falcons built a promising platform courtesy of a superb 108-run stand between Andries Gous (61 off 45) and Amir Jangoo (55 off 49). At 129/1 with just four overs left, a total beyond 180 looked possible.
However, the Knight Riders’ bowlers struck back at the death. Usman Tariq’s miserly spell of 2/19 stalled the scoring, while Saurabh Netravalkar (3/23) and Andre Russell (2/30) cleaned up the middle and lower order. The Falcons lost seven wickets for 37 runs in their final four overs, slumping to 166/8 in 20 overs.
Pooran and Hales Steal the Show
The chase began shakily when Colin Munro fell early to Rahkeem Cornwall. But that proved to be the Falcons’ only breakthrough as Nicholas Pooran and Alex Hales produced one of the partnerships of the season.
Pooran, who came into this match under pressure after Trinbago’s three consecutive defeats, responded with a breathtaking 90 off 53 balls*, including 3 fours and 8 sixes. His clean hitting electrified the Providence crowd.
At the other end, Alex Hales played the perfect foil, finishing with an unbeaten 54 off 40 deliveries. Together, they shared a match-winning 143-run stand, guiding Trinbago to 168/1 in 17.3 overs, with 15 balls to spare.
What Next?
For the Falcons, elimination ends their CPL journey, but their progress to the playoffs marks a milestone in franchise history. For the Knight Riders, momentum has returned at the perfect time.
They will now face the loser of Qualifier 1 between Guyana Amazon Warriors and Saint Lucia Kings, keeping alive hopes of lifting a fifth CPL crown. With Pooran and Hales in red-hot form, Trinbago suddenly looks like a serious contender again.
Brief Scores
Antigua & Barbuda Falcons – 166/8 (20 overs): Gous 61 (45), Jangoo 55 (49); Netravalkar 3/23, Tariq 2/19
Trinbago Knight Riders – 168/1 (17.3 overs): Pooran 90* (53), Hales 54* (40); Cornwall 1/50
Result: Trinbago Knight Riders won by 9 wickets (with 15 balls remaining)
Player of the Match: Nicholas Pooran (90* off 53)
Zainab Shafiq