Naseem Shah stars as Patriots beat Falcons in CPL 2025 opener

BASSETERRE: St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots defeated Antigua and Barbuda Falcons by six wickets to kick off the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025 on a high note on Thursday at Warner Park, powered by an exceptional bowling performance from Naseem Shah and Waqar Salamkheil.

After being sent in to bat, the Falcons struggled to build partnerships and were bowled out for 121 in 17.1 overs.

Karima Gore was the lone bright spot for Antigua, scoring a blazing 61 off 34 balls, which included eight boundaries and two sixes.

Other contributions came from Fabian Allen (12), Shakib Al Hasan (12), and captain Imad Wasim (11), while the rest of the batting lineup failed to make an impact.

For the Patriots, spinner Waqar Salamkheil was outstanding, claiming 4 wickets for 22 runs in his four-over spell.

Fast bowler Naseem Shah added two wickets in 3.1 overs, while Fazalhaq Farooqi also took two wickets. Kyle Mayers and Jason Holder chipped in with one wicket each, whereas Abbas Afridi went wicketless.

Chasing a modest target, St. Kitts reached 122 for 5 in 15 overs, guided by a match-winning knock from Alick Athanaze, who scored 37 off 28 balls.

Captain Jason Holder supported with 18 runs off 14 deliveries. Opener Evin Lewis contributed 25 off 13 balls, while Andre Fletcher and Kyle Mayers added 19 and 15 runs, respectively.

For Antigua, Rahkeem Cornwall picked up two wickets in his three-over spell, while Obed McCoy and A.M. Ghazanfar claimed one wicket each. Spinner Imad Wasim finished without success in his spell.