The 2024 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 crowned its first-time champion Sunday at Bridgetown’s iconic Kensington Oval, where Antigua and Barbuda Falcons capped a dominant campaign by defeating Jamaica Kingsmen by eight wickets to lift the franchise’s maiden title. In front of a packed stadium that drew thousands of cricket fans from across the Caribbean long before the first ball was bowled, the Falcons chased down a 171-run target with three overs to spare, finishing on 173 for two to seal a historic win.
After winning the toss, Falcons captain Moeen Ali opted to send Jamaica Kingsmen into bat first, a decision that paid off early as the Falcons’ bowling attack put consistent pressure on the Kingsmen’s batting line-up. While most of the Kingsmen batters struggled to find rhythm against disciplined pace and spin, opener Maaz Sadaqat delivered a career-defining innings, anchoring his side’s total with a blistering 114 not out off just 58 deliveries, studded with boundary after boundary. Sadaqat’s knock allowed the Kingsmen to post a competitive 170 for nine from their full 20 overs, with only Saim Ayub managing to reach double figures alongside the centurion, finishing on 29 off 22 balls.
The Falcons’ bowling unit was led by Player-of-the-Match Sufyan Moqim, who turned in a devastating performance to finish with sensational figures of four wickets for just 14 runs. Alzarri Joseph supported Moqim’s effort with two wickets for 27 runs, keeping the Falcons firmly in control of the match heading into the second innings.
In response, the Falcons’ top order got off to a solid start and never surrendered the momentum, knocking off the required run rate comfortably across the chase. Wicketkeeper-batter Amir Jangoo anchored the Falcons’ innings with an unbeaten 57 from 34 balls, hitting four fours and one six, while Hasan Nawaz provided steady support with an unbeaten 47 from 35 balls to help the side cross the finish line in the 17th over.
Following the win, Ali praised his squad’s collective spirit and resilience throughout the tournament, crediting their tight bond off the field for their outstanding results on it. “It’s been a tough journey, but a great journey,” Ali told reporters post-match. “The time’s gone by quickly for us because we enjoyed each other’s company and you can see on the field the way we played. I thought tonight was an outstanding performance again, and I am really, really pleased with the way we performed throughout the competition.”
Despite falling short of the title in their own CPL finals run, Jamaica Kingsmen captain Rovman Powell expressed immense pride in his side’s progression through the tournament, noting that the Kingsmen had turned their slow start into a deep run by growing into one of the event’s most balanced and cohesive squads. “It’s a good feeling, to be honest. I think it was a very hard-fought campaign for us so I’m so proud of the boys,” Powell said. He added that the batting unit failed to capitalize on the good wicket and strong start provided by Sadaqat, and that the bowling group did not execute as planned in the power play during the Falcons’ chase: “It’s disappointing that as a batting group we didn’t really capitalise on a good start and as a bowling group, we didn’t control the power play as well as we wanted to.”
Off the field, the 2024 CPL final drew record crowd interest that extended far beyond the two competing franchises. Thousands of fans flooded Kensington Oval hours before the match began, creating heavy vehicular traffic on the venue’s outskirts and overwhelming nearby parking areas. While fans wearing the jerseys of the Falcons and Kingsmen turned out in force, they were outnumbered by large contingents of traveling supporters from the Guyana Amazon Warriors, who packed the stands despite their side’s elimination before the final. A sizable group of fans from Trinidad and Tobago also attended to show their support for the Trinibago Knight Riders, who were knocked out of the competition earlier in the knockout stage.