The 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) delivered a thrilling upset on Tuesday night at North Sound, Antigua, as the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons handed the previously unbeaten Barbados Tridents their first loss of the season by a 30-run margin. The dominant all-round performance from the Falcons pushed them back to the top of the tournament’s points table, with pace bowler Joshua James earning Player of the Match honors for his stellar spell of three wickets for just 18 runs, while all-rounder Moeen Ali anchored the Falcons’ batting innings with an unbeaten half-century.
Barbados Tridents skipper Chris Green won the toss and elected to field first, a decision that put the Falcons under immediate pressure from the opening ball. Tridents fast bowler Daniel Sams clean-bowled star opener Rahkeem Cornwall with the very first delivery of the match, leaving the Falcons reeling early. By the end of the mandatory powerplay, the Falcons had only managed 40 runs for the loss of two wickets, putting their campaign on the back foot early.
However, Moeen Ali stepped in to steady the innings with a clinical, power-packed knock. Playing 37 deliveries, Ali struck three boundaries and four towering sixes to finish not out on 56, dragging the Falcons to a competitive total of 155 runs for five wickets from their full 20-over allocation. Supporting contributions from opener Amir Jangoo (26 runs) and Karima Gore (27 runs) proved crucial in building the match-winning total after the rocky start. For the Tridents, Afghanistan spin star Mujeeb Ur Rahman was the most effective bowler, picking up two wickets for 32 runs, while Sams, Ramon Simmonds and Gudakesh Motie each claimed one wicket apiece.
Chasing a target of 156, the Tridents got off to a promising start, reaching 45 runs for two wickets by the end of the powerplay. Replacement batter Shian Brathwaite, called into the squad to cover injured star Kadeem Alleyne, fell for seven runs, while top-order batter Zachary Carter contributed 17 runs to the early stand. The Tridents looked set at 54 for two in the eighth over, but a collapse changed the trajectory of the match. Wickets fell at consistent intervals, and the Tridents slumped to 95 for seven by the middle of the 14th over.
The Falcons’ bowling attack delivered a clinical finish to wrap up the victory. The Tridents were bowled out for 125 runs in 18 overs, with Rivaldo Clarke top-scoring for the side with 27 runs off 26 balls, and Kevlon Anderson adding 22 runs to the total. Beyond James’ match-winning three-wicket haul, Alzarri Joseph took two wickets for just 12 runs, Shadab Khan claimed two for 23, and Sufiyan Muqeem picked up two for 36, capping a dominant all-round bowling performance from the Falcons.
In his post-match remarks, Tridents captain Chris Green reflected that his side had played solid cricket for much of the contest before losing momentum. He highlighted the promising partnership between young batters Clarke and Anderson, which he said had given the Tridents a strong platform to chase the target. According to Green, a controversial caught dismissal proved to be the turning point that shifted momentum entirely to the Falcons. “For us it just felt like we panicked a little bit and that gave the game away,” Green said.
The result ended the Tridents’ perfect start to the season, which had seen them claim back-to-back wins in their opening two matches. Green emphasized that the side would take the loss as a learning experience rather than letting the defeat derail their campaign. “In T20 cricket you’re going to play good games, you’re gonna play bad games. Sometimes you win those bad games, sometimes you lose those good games. It’s a matter of fine margins,” he noted.
With three matches completed and seven remaining in the group stage, Green maintains his side remains in a strong position to advance. “We’re still in a really good position, but I think your key word there is learning, and we are a young side and we’ve got to keep learning,” he added.