Patriots Secure Victory Over Falcons in CPL Opener

BASSETERRE: The St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots initiated their Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025 campaign with a significant six-wicket triumph over the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons. The match, held at Warner Park on Thursday, showcased stellar bowling performances from Naseem Shah and Waqar Salamkheil.

After being put into bat, the Falcons faced difficulties in establishing solid partnerships and were eventually all out for 121 runs in 17.1 overs.

Karima Gore delivered a remarkable performance for Antigua, scoring a rapid 61 off 34 deliveries, punctuated by eight fours and a pair of sixes.

Additional scores came from Fabian Allen (12), Shakib Al Hasan (12), and captain Imad Wasim (11), although the remainder of the batting order struggled to contribute meaningfully.

For the Patriots, Waqar Salamkheil stood out, securing 4 wickets for 22 runs across his four overs.

Naseem Shah contributed with two wickets in 3.1 overs, while Fazalhaq Farooqi also claimed two wickets. Kyle Mayers and Jason Holder each took one wicket, but Abbas Afridi finished without taking any.

In pursuit of a relatively low target, St. Kitts achieved 122 for 5 in 15 overs, propelled by a decisive innings from Alick Athanaze, who posted 37 off 28 balls.

Captain Jason Holder provided support with 18 runs from 14 balls. Opener Evin Lewis added 25 runs off 13 balls, while Andre Fletcher and Kyle Mayers scored 19 and 15 runs, respectively.

For Antigua, Rahkeem Cornwall managed to pick up two wickets during his three-over contribution, while Obed McCoy and A.M. Ghazanfar each secured one wicket. Imad Wasim’s spin spell concluded without a wicket.