Antigua and Barbuda Falcons continued their impressive run at home with a tight eight-run victory over the Trinbago Knight Riders in a thrilling contest at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound on Thursday. The Falcons, batting first, were powered by a quickfire cameo from West Indies all-rounder Fabian Allen, who scored a blistering 45 off just 20 balls. His entertaining knock, which featured three fours and three sixes, helped propel the home team to a competitive total of 167/6.
Chasing 168, the Knight Riders put up a valiant effort but fell short, ending their innings at 159/6. Obed McCoy played a pivotal role in derailing the visitors’ chase with a stellar spell of left-arm pace bowling, finishing with figures of 4/39 from his four overs. Despite aggressive contributions from Colin Munro, who blasted 44 from 18 balls, and Kieron Pollard, who remained unbeaten on 43 from 28, the visitors couldn’t get over the line.
One of the key moments in the match came when off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall dismissed the dangerous Nicholas Pooran at a crucial juncture. Pooran, who took the crease in the fifth over with the Knight Riders needing 119 runs from 93 balls, struggled to find his rhythm. His inability to find the boundary during the early part of his innings put pressure on the chase and eventually led to a turning point.
Growing visibly frustrated after crawling to 10 runs off 13 balls without a single boundary, Pooran attempted an aggressive shot off Cornwall at the start of the 10th over. Anticipating the move, Cornwall smartly pulled back his length, forcing Pooran into a mistimed heave. Wicketkeeper Jewel Andrew capitalized on the opportunity, executing a swift stumping as Pooran failed to get his bat back in time.
Pooran bamboozled! 💫
— CPL T20 (@CPL) August 21, 2025
Rahkeem Cornwall gets the TKR Skipper! 💥#CPL25 #CricketPlayedLouder#BiggestPartyInSport #ABFvTKR #Sky365 pic.twitter.com/kBmHmwgIFZ
Pooran’s dismissal shifted the momentum firmly in favor of the Falcons. Cornwall, fired up, celebrated the breakthrough with high-fives and visible excitement, while Pooran, dejected, made his way back to the dugout in frustration. His wicket marked a rare failure against spin for the big-hitting batter and significantly dented the Knight Riders’ hopes of securing a win on the road.