A dramatic, rain-interrupted Caribbean Premier League (CPL) clash in Gros Islet delivered one of the tournament’s most nail-biting conclusions, as St Lucia Kings escaped with a last-gasp three-wicket DLS method victory over Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, falling just two deliveries short of a stunning upset from the underdogs.
The match’s fate was reshaped twice by inclement weather before the decisive final overs. When rain cut short the Falcons’ batting innings after 19 overs, the side had posted 98 runs for the loss of nine wickets. This initially set the Kings a revised target of 84 runs from 15 overs to claim the win. However, a second rain interruption just eight balls into St Lucia’s chase forced another target adjustment, slashing the required total to 52 runs from just eight overs.
Defending this low, condensed target, the Falcons’ bowlers delivered a devastating performance that put them on the brink of a historic win. By the end of the fifth over, the Falcons had torn through the Kings’ top and middle order, reducing the table-topping contenders to a precarious 21 for six. Shamar Springer led the Falcons’ bowling charge, picking up three key wickets for only 13 runs, while Joshua James supported with two wickets for the same 13-run tally.
It looked like the Falcons would close out the win when St Lucia slipped further to 33 for seven, still 19 runs short of the required target. But Matthew Forde, who had already dominated with the ball earlier in the match (taking four wickets for 29 runs, including consecutive strikes on Evin Lewis and Tim Robinson in the second over, plus the dismissal of Antigua’s top-scorer Rahkeem Cornwall who made 26), shifted the match momentum with a quick-fire cameo. The batter hit Springer for one four and one six, adding 11 vital runs before being bowled on the very next delivery.
With the match hanging in the balance, Joshua Bishop and Shadley van Schalkwyk held their nerve to finish the job for the Kings. Bishop remained unbeaten on 12 runs, while van Schalkwyk hit eight not out from just three deliveries, guiding St Lucia to 54 runs for seven wickets with two whole balls still left in the final over. The narrow win sees St Lucia Kings climb to the number one position in the 2026 CPL standings.
For the Falcons, who fell just short of a shocking upset, solid batting contributions came from Amir Jangoo (23 runs) and Alzarri Joseph, whose aggressive unbeaten 16 runs from the number 10 batting position pushed the Falcons to a total that almost proved enough to claim victory. St Lucia’s bowlers also delivered strong performances: Roston Chase finished with two wickets for just seven runs across four overs, while Bishop picked up two wickets for 16 runs to complement his later winning batting innings.