Shadab Khan took a hat-trick and finished with four wickets as Antigua and Barbuda Falcons bowled out Guyana Amazon Warriors for 76 and then chased down the target in 5.2 overs to win by nine wickets at Kensington Oval on Thursday, booking their spot in Sunday’s Caribbean Premier League final.
Falcons captain Moeen Ali won the toss and sent Guyana in to bat. The Warriors reached 34 for 1 at the end of the Powerplay before the innings collapsed. Sufyan Moqim struck twice in the eighth over, removing Glenn Phillips at deep midwicket and then getting Mohammad Haris caught behind.
Shadab took the next over and claimed a hat-trick. He had Shimron Hetmyer caught at long-on, trapped Mehidy Hasan Miraz lbw after a successful review, and bowled Quentin Sampson with a googly. Guyana slipped to 45 for 6.
Moqim added the wickets of Khary Pierre and Shai Hope. Shadab then bowled Imran Tahir for his fourth wicket. Romario Shepherd and Shamar Joseph put on 27 for the tenth wicket before Shamar Springer ended the innings. Guyana were all out for 76 in 15 overs. Shadab finished with 4 for 16 and Moqim with 4 for 13. Shadab was named player of the match.
Rahkeem Cornwall attacked from the first over of the chase, taking on Tahir, Miraz and Pierre. He fell for 49 off 16 balls, caught by Hetmyer off Tahir, one run short of a fifty. Evin Lewis then struck 21 runs off one Shamar Joseph over despite cramp and hit the winning runs as the Falcons reached 77 for 1 in 5.2 overs, the second-fastest win in CPL history.
Shadab has had a strong tournament in his first CPL season in seven years. He scored an unbeaten 52 off 20 balls and took 1 for 8 in a win over Trinbago Knight Riders, hit 30 off 12 balls in a three-wicket win over St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, and took two wickets, including Dwaine Pretorius, in the Falcons’ final league game against Guyana.
Moqim, playing his first CPL season alongside Shadab, matched him wicket for wicket on Thursday and had already taken two wickets apiece against Barbados Tridents and in the Falcons’ last league match.
Two other Pakistanis made history in the playoffs this week. Maaz Sadaqat hit 112 off 49 balls for Jamaica Kingsmen in Wednesday’s Eliminator against Barbados Tridents, reaching his fifty in 22 balls and his hundred in 44 to become the youngest centurion in CPL history at 21 years and 124 days old.
Saim Ayub scored 102 off 58 balls for Jamaica Kingsmen against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots last month, his first T20 century in 160 matches.
Antigua and Barbuda Falcons go straight into Sunday’s final. Guyana Amazon Warriors now face Jamaica Kingsmen in Qualifier 2, with the winner meeting the Falcons for the title.
