The Trinbago Knight Riders, owned by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, have advanced to Qualifier 2 of the CPL 2025 after a commanding victory in the Eliminator. They defeated the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons with 9 wickets and 15 balls to spare. A standout performance from the Knight Riders’ captain, who retired at the age of 29, saw him blast a sensational half-century, highlighted by 11 boundaries and sixes. Former England cricketer Alex Hales also played a supportive role in the team’s triumph.
Nicholas Pooran’s Explosive Innings
Nicholas Pooran, the captain of the Trinbago Knight Riders, who had previously retired from international cricket, delivered a stellar batting display against the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons in the Eliminator match. Chasing a target of 167 runs, Pooran and Alex Hales forged an unbeaten partnership of 143 runs in just 86 balls for the second wicket, ultimately securing a 9-wicket win for their team in 17.3 overs.
Pooran’s blistering innings included 8 sixes and 3 fours, resulting in an unbeaten 90 runs from 53 deliveries. Hales contributed an unbeaten 54 runs off 40 balls, with 3 fours and 3 sixes. Colin Munro was the only Knight Riders batsman to be dismissed, scoring 14 runs before being dismissed by Rahkeem Cornwall. Following Munro’s dismissal, Pooran and Hales ensured no further setbacks for the team. The loss marked the end of the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons’ CPL 2025 campaign.
Antigua and Barbuda Falcons’ Elimination
The Antigua and Barbuda Falcons’ CPL 2025 journey concluded after their defeat to the Knight Riders in the Eliminator. Batting first, the Falcons scored 166 runs for 8 wickets in their 20 overs. Openers Amir Jangoo and Andre Gous played valuable innings, though their dismissals led to a faltering performance by the team.
Amir Jangoo scored 55 runs from 49 balls, including 3 fours and 3 sixes. Andre Gous made 61 runs off 45 balls, featuring 5 fours and 3 sixes. All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan remained unbeaten with 26 runs from 9 balls, inclusive of 4 fours and 1 six. Captain Imad Wasim was dismissed for only one run. For the Knight Riders, Saurabh Netravalkar took the most wickets with 3. Usman Tariq and Andre Russell claimed 2 wickets each, while Sunil Narine took one wicket.