Antigua & Barbuda Falcons all-rounder Fabian Allen starred with bat and ball pulled off an outstanding catch of in-form Trinibago Knight Riders batter Nicholas Pooran.
Antigua & Barbuda Falcons finally got off the mark in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2024 season with a last-ball six-run win over Shah Rukh Khan-owned franchise Trinibago Knight Riders at the Vivian Richards Stadium in North South, Antigua, on Thursday night. For the Falcons, the hero of the match was all-rounder Fabian Allen who scored 25 off 11 balls and then picked up 3/23 in 4 overs with the ball as well.
However, Allen’s most significant contribution was dismissing in-form Knight Riders batter Nicholas Pooran for a golden duck. Allen snatched up a flying catch off Pooran to reduce TKR to 72 for 3 in the 10th over, chasing 177 to win.
WATCH Fabian Allen’s brilliant to dismiss Nicholas Pooran HERE…
Fabian Allen, the juggler! A Carib catch for the ages 😮#CPL #CPL24 #ABFvTKR #CricketPlayedLouder #BiggestPartyInSport #Carib pic.twitter.com/kelr6OIgNX
— CPL T20 (@CPL) September 6, 2024
Having been put into bat, the Falcons managed to post a competitive total of 176 for 6, Pakistan batter Fakhar Zaman and Justin Greaves putting on 65 for the first wicket and Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim (46 off 29 balls) and Fabian Allen (25 not out off 11 balls) giving the innings some momentum in the second half.
After impressing with the ball in hand, Sunil Narine struggled with the bat – falling for a four ball duck at the beginning of the Knight Riders’ chase. Player of the Match Fabian Allen added vital wickets to go with his handy hitting. A match turning 10th over saw him prize out Shaqkere Parris lbw for 31 and then pull off a lighting-reflex return catch to dismiss Nicholas Pooran with his very next ball.
“Oh my god, we were searching for that win and grateful we got it tonight. Lot of people want me to bat higher. But wherever the team wants me to bat, I’ll bat there. The conditions suited our play. Today we backed our strength and bowled in the right areas. We were searching for 180 (with the bat). Grateful for the crowd. Happy they came out tonight,” Allen said after the match.
The Knight Riders managed to take the game into the final over and had the chance to make it two wins in two games, with an attainable 14 runs needed off the final six deliveries. Roshon Primus held his nerve for the Falcons after getting flicked for four through midwicket by Akeal Hosein off the first ball of the final over. Terrance Hinds chopped Primus onto his stumps and Hosein was run out off the penultimate delivery of the match despite Sam Billings’ fumble with the gloves when breaking the stumps.
A nail-biting match came down to the last ball, Waqar Salamkheil needing to strike a six to tie the game and send it to a Super Over. It wasn’t to be. Salamkheil failed to make contact with an attempted lap, the Falcons players swooping around Primus to celebrate an inaugural win.
Falcons captain Chris Green was mightily pleased with his side’s ability to show character and defend their total. “We have had a tough time here at home, we were not at our best in the last couple of games. I’m really happy for the fans and for my team. We still have to carry on playing this positive, aggressive brand of cricket. I think we showed ourselves what we can do. Nothing needs to change,” Green said.