Saint Lucia Kings delivered a clinical performance to defeat Antigua and Barbuda Falcons by 7 wickets in the sixth match of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2024. The match, held at the iconic Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, saw a combination of tactical brilliance and individual excellence, particularly from Noor Ahmad, who played a pivotal role in his team’s success.

Toss and decision

Saint Lucia Kings won the toss and, recognizing the conditions that favoured bowlers early on, opted to bowl first. This decision proved to be spot-on as their bowlers quickly found rhythm and applied pressure on the Antigua and Barbuda batsmen.

Antigua and Barbuda innings

Antigua and Barbuda, put into bat, struggled to build a solid foundation as they lost wickets at regular intervals. The innings began with Fakhar Zaman and Justin Greaves opening the batting. While Zaman managed to score 21 runs off 17 balls, his stay at the crease was cut short as he attempted to accelerate the scoring rate. Greaves, the top scorer for Antigua and Barbuda, played a gritty knock of 36 runs off 26 balls, including 5 fours, providing some stability at the top.

However, the middle order failed to capitalize on the start. Kofi James and Jewel Andrew could only muster 5 and 15 runs, respectively, as they found it difficult to handle the disciplined bowling from Saint Lucia Kings. Imad Wasim made a valiant attempt to anchor the innings, scoring 29 not out off 23 balls, but Antigua and Barbuda struggled to find the boundaries consistently.

The standout performance in Saint Lucia Kings’ bowling attack came from Noor Ahmad, whose deceptive spin and clever variations left the opposition baffled. Ahmad’s 4-over spell yielded 3 wickets for just 18 runs, a key factor in restricting Antigua and Barbuda to a modest total of 142/7.

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Saint Lucia Kings innings

Chasing 143 for victory, Saint Lucia Kings approached the target with confidence. Johnson Charles and Faf du Plessis opened the innings and provided a solid start. Charles played a measured knock, scoring 47 runs off 46 balls, including 1 four and 3 sixes. His knock provided the stability needed at the top, allowing his partners to play with more freedom.

Du Plessis, on the other hand, played an aggressive cameo, smashing 28 runs off just 15 balls, with 5 fours and 1 six, setting the tone for the chase. Though Bhanuka Rajapaksa was dismissed for 9 runs, the momentum remained with Saint Lucia Kings.

The real finishing touch was provided by Tim Seifert, whose blistering knock of 26 runs off 11 balls, featuring 3 sixes and 1 four, ensured there were no late hiccups. Saint Lucia Kings reached the target comfortably, finishing at 144/3 in just 17 overs.

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