The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium was alive with colour, noise and drama on Saturday night as the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons soared to their first win of the 2025 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL), edging the Barbados Royals by six wickets in a nail-biting contest.
Chasing 152, the Falcons looked to their dependable No. 3, Karima Gore, who delivered once again with an unbeaten 64 off 53 balls, his second consecutive half-century of the tournament. Calm and composed under pressure, Gore anchored the innings brilliantly. He rotated the strike early before exploding in the closing overs, smashing two towering sixes off Eathan Bosch in the 18th over to swing momentum firmly in the Falcons’ favour. With six runs needed from the final over, Gore kept his cool and sealed the victory with two balls to spare, sending the home crowd into carnival-style celebrations.
Earlier, after captain Imad Wasim won the toss and opted to field on a damp Antiguan evening, the Falcons bowlers kept the Royals largely in check. Quinton de Kock (57) provided a fluent start, while Rovman Powell’s explosive unbeaten 51 off 24 balls gave the visitors late momentum, guiding them to 151 for 6. Jayden Seales stood out for the Falcons with a miserly 2 for 15, while spinners Jomel Warrican and Mujeeb Ur Rahman kept things tight in the middle overs.
The chase wasn’t without its stumbles, as the Falcons lost early wickets. But alongside Gore’s composure came youthful spark from 19-year-old Jewel Andrew, who contributed 28 off 25 balls. Andrew’s real highlight, however, came behind the stumps: a flying catch that stunned the Royals and electrified the Antiguan crowd. His energy and confidence were a glimpse of the Falcons’ bright future.
Royals will rue their sloppy fielding display, with multiple dropped catches and missed run-outs allowing Gore and the Falcons to seize control. Those lapses proved costly as the home side celebrated their first points of the season.
Falcons captain Imad Wasim praised his team’s resilience after the match. “This first win against the Royals boosts our confidence,” he said. “We’ll celebrate tonight, but the work continues. CPL is a long tournament, and we’re ready for the fight.”
The road ahead remains challenging for the Falcons. Tonight (Sunday, Aug. 17) they face the St. Lucia Kings in a high-stakes clash against Antigua’s own Alzarri Joseph, while heavyweights Trinbago Knight Riders (Aug. 20) and Guyana Amazon Warriors (Aug. 22) follow later in the week. Their home stand concludes on Aug. 24 against the St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots, a fixture that could prove pivotal in shaping their playoff hopes.
Now in just their second CPL season, the Falcons are quickly carving out their identity as gritty, fearless contenders. Saturday’s win was more than two points—it was a declaration that Antigua and Barbuda belong on this stage, not just as hosts but as challengers for CPL glory.
