Shakib Al Hasan had another disappointing outing with the bat, but he edged closer to a major bowling milestone as Antigua and Barbuda Falcons clinched a thrilling win despite Kieron Pollard’s late fireworks.
Shakib’s batting struggles continued in the Caribbean Premier League, where he managed just 7 runs off 13 balls. However, he finally claimed his first wicket of the tournament, conceding only 2 runs in his single over, though he wasn’t given another chance to bowl.
The match ended on a high for the Falcons, who beat Trinbago Knight Riders by 8 runs, thanks to a brilliant final over from Shamar Springer.
Shakib, who began the CPL with 498 T20 wickets, has now moved one step closer to the 500-wicket milestone. His recent batting form remains concerning, though — his previous two innings yielded just 11 off 16 and 13 off 13, while another match was washed out.
Batting first at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua and Barbuda posted 167 runs in 20 overs. The top order faltered, with Jewel Andrew scoring 22 off 25, while Rahkeem Cornwall (9), Karima Gore (10), and Bevon Jacobs (8) failed to deliver. Shakib, coming in at No. 5, struggled to find timing and was dismissed trying to flick Usman Tariq to short fine leg.
The recovery came from the middle and lower order — skipper Imad Wasim remained unbeaten on 39 off 27, while Fabian Allen’s 45 off 20 (3 fours, 3 sixes) powered the total. Springer chipped in with a quick 10 off 5.
In response, Trinbago’s chase was fueled by Colin Munro’s blistering 44 off 18, but Obed McCoy’s double breakthrough brought the Falcons back into the game. Shakib also struck in his only over, dismissing Darren Bravo for 2 off 8 on his return from a two-year hiatus.
Pollard threatened to snatch victory late, smashing 22 runs off McCoy in the 19th over, but Springer held his nerve brilliantly in the final over, conceding just 5 runs as Trinbago fell short.
McCoy, despite being hammered in his last over, was named Player of the Match for his 4 wickets. With this win, Antigua and Barbuda Falcons moved to the top of the CPL standings with 5 points from 4 matches.
Their next clash is scheduled for Saturday at 5 AM BST on home soil.
