The Antigua and Barbuda Falcons created history on Sunday, September 20, by winning their maiden Caribbean Premier League (CPL) title. The Falcons produced a dominant performance at a packed Kensington Oval, defeating the Jamaica Kingsmen by eight wickets in the 2026 CPL final. The triumph was particularly significant for the Antigua-based franchise, which had spent six years in the CPL without lifting the trophy.
After finally ending that wait, celebrations erupted inside the stadium, with West Indies legend and Falcons bowling coach Curtly Ambrose among those at the centre of the emotional scenes. The Jamaica Kingsmen were asked to bat first and posted a competitive 170/9. Maaz Sadaqat provided the backbone of their innings with a spectacular 114 off just 58 balls. His explosive knock featured eight fours and nine sixes, keeping Jamaica in the contest almost single-handedly.
However, Sadaqat received little support from the rest of the batting lineup. Saim Ayub was the only other Kingsmen batter to score more than 10 runs, contributing 29 off 22 balls at No. 4. The Falcons’ bowlers kept chipping away at the opposition despite Sadaqat’s onslaught. Sufyan Moqim was the standout performer with the ball, claiming an impressive four wickets for just 14 runs. His match-winning spell earned him the Player of the Match award. Alzarri Joseph also played an important role, finishing with two wickets for 27 runs.
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The Falcons wasted little time in their chase of 171. They raced to 76/1 during the jvmcc jixp, putting immediate pressure on the Dlrpcwnv’c attack. Rahkeem Cornwall provided an explosive start, smashing 20 runs off just six deliveries before Saim Ayub dismissed him on the final ball of the opening over.
Evin Lewis continued the momentum with a quickfire 38 before falling in the eighth over, leaving the Falcons at 84/2. However, Amir Jangoo then took complete control of the chase. He remained unbeaten on 57 off 34 balls, while Hasan Nawaz finished unbeaten on 47 from 35 deliveries.
𝐒𝐨𝐚𝐫, 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐚𝐫! 🇦🇬🏆
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐚 & 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐮𝐝𝐚 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐂𝐏𝐋 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣!🇦🇬x🇯🇲#CPL26 #CPLFINAL #ABFvJK #CricketPlayedLouder pic.twitter.com/LGM16Cr7Uo
— CPL T20 (@CPL) September 21, 2026
The pair guided Antigua and Barbuda Falcons to victory in just 17 overs, sealing an emphatic eight-wicket win and their first CPL championship. The historic achievement triggered emotional celebrations, with Ambrose dancing alongside the players and members of the Falcons camp. The occasion was even more memorable as the title arrived around the West Indies great’s birthday.
Reflecting on the journey, Ambrose said the team had gradually developed into a confident and cohesive unit during the tournament. “I saw how the team gradually became a strong and cohesive team in the course of the tournament and I was confident that we had the potential to win the trophy,” Ambrose said.
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Speaking about the significance of the title, he added that the Falcons were overlooked when the franchise entered the competition six years ago.
“Words can’t really describe my feeling, because six years ago when we started, not many gave us a chance,” Cutly Ambrose said, as quoted by Cricbuzz. “We believe from the very beginning that we have what it takes to win this championship, and we finally did it.” The Falcons’ maiden CPL title could also provide a major boost to cricket in Antigua and inspire a new generation of young players across the country.
