Naseem Shah leads Patriots to victory

They win the opener against Falcons in CPL

St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots started their Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025 campaign with a convincing six-wicket win over Antigua and Barbuda Falcons at Warner Park on Thursday, thanks to a brilliant bowling display from Naseem Shah and Waqar Salamkheil.

Sent in to bat, the Falcons struggled to build partnerships and were bowled out for just 121 in 17.1 overs. Karima Gore was the standout performer for Antigua, smashing 61 off 34 balls with eight fours and two sixes. Fabian Allen (12), Shakib Al Hasan (11), Obed McCoy (10) and captain Imad Wasim (11) were the only other batters to reach double figures, while the rest failed to contribute significantly.

For the Patriots, left-arm spinner Waqar Salamkheil was the star, taking 4/22 in his four overs. Fast bowler Naseem Shah claimed 2/20 in 3.1 overs, while Fazalhaq Farooqi also picked up two wickets. Kyle Mayers and Jason Holder chipped in with one wicket each, and Abbas Afridi went wicketless.

In reply, St. Kitts chased down the target comfortably, reaching 125/4 in 15 overs. Alick Athanaze led the way with a composed 37 off 28 balls, while skipper Jason Holder made 18 off 14. Opener Evin Lewis gave a quick start with 25 from 13 deliveries, and Andre Fletcher (19) and Kyle Mayers (15) added useful runs.

For the Falcons, Rahkeem Cornwall claimed 2/19, while Obed McCoy and A.M. Ghazanfar took one wicket each. Imad Wasim went wicketless in his spell.

With this win, the Patriots made a strong statement at the start of their CPL 2025 campaign, while the Falcons will be looking to bounce back in their next fixture.

Former Pakistan cricketer to lead Antigua and Barbuda Falcons in CPL 2025

Former Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim has been named captain of the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons for the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025, which began on Friday.

The franchise announced his appointment through an animated Captain America-themed video on their official social media accounts.

Imad, who has played in eight CPL editions, brings valuable experience to the role. In 64 matches, he has taken 70 wickets at an average of 20.22 and scored 802 runs, including two half-centuries.