Shadab Khan powers Falcons to fourth place with three-wicket win over Patriots

Antigua and Barbuda Falcons secured a crucial three-wicket victory over St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in a bottom-of-the-table clash in CPL 2026, moving up to fourth place on the seven-team table and leaving Patriots at the bottom.

Chasing 188, Falcons reached 191 for 7 with three balls remaining, with Shadab Khan providing the decisive late impetus with a blistering 30 off just 12 balls. Moeen Ali also played an important role, finishing unbeaten on 25 from 12 deliveries.

Patriots make steady start

Asked to bat first by Moeen Ali, Patriots began positively, reaching 51 for 1 at the end of the powerplay. Kyle Mayers and Andre Fletcher built a 57-run partnership for the second wicket after Johnson Charles was dismissed for 17 off 14 balls.

However, the partnership lacked the required tempo. Fletcher consumed 24 balls for his 20, while Mayers made 34 before both were dismissed in the 10th over.

Patriots then lost wickets in quick succession. Fletcher was run out, before Kevin Wickham fell cheaply to Shadab Khan. At the end of the 11th over, Patriots were struggling at 80 for 4.

Jason Holder and Nikhil Chaudhary attempted to rebuild the innings with a 46-run fifth-wicket stand from 32 balls, but the acceleration Patriots needed arrived only late in the innings.

Shanaka provides late fireworks

Dasun Shanaka transformed the Patriots' innings in the closing overs. He smashed 20 from nine balls during a 21-run partnership with Holder before launching another assault alongside Wanindu Hasaranga.

Shanaka scored 29 more runs from just eight deliveries, adding 40 from 11 balls with Hasaranga. He finished unbeaten on 49 from only 17 balls, hitting five fours and four sixes.

His late hitting lifted Patriots to a competitive 187 for 6, although their slow scoring through the middle overs ultimately proved costly.

Falcons keep their nerve in chase

Falcons' reply suffered an early setback when Amir Jangoo was bowled by Mayers in the first over. Evin Lewis and Karima Gore then steadied the innings with a 34-run partnership from 24 balls.

Lewis continued to drive the chase alongside Hasan Nawaz, with the pair adding 78 runs from 56 deliveries. Lewis eventually fell for a well-made 48 off 38 balls in the 14th over, while Nawaz followed in the next over for 33 from 28 balls.

At that stage, Falcons still required 74 runs from just under six overs, leaving the match finely poised.

Shadab delivers when it matters

Shadab Khan took control of the chase with a rapid 30 from 12 balls, providing the acceleration Falcons desperately needed.

Moeen Ali supported him with an unbeaten 25 off 12 deliveries, while Shamar Springer contributed a valuable 15 from just six balls.

The late surge took Falcons to 191 for 7 with three balls remaining, completing a three-wicket victory.

The result moves Antigua and Barbuda Falcons into fourth place and gives them an important boost in the CPL 2026 standings, while St Kitts and Nevis Patriots remain rooted to seventh.