ABF vs TKR

That brings us to the end of another nail biting thriller. Like always it was a pleasure bringing all the live commentary from this match. Keep following Sportskeeda for much more sporting actions but for now this is myself (Arya Sekhar Chakraborty) signing off. 

Kieron Pollard (Trinbago Knight Riders captain): It was a good game of cricket overall but I feel we let ourselves down in the fielding department. It's about giving opportunities to the youngsters as well. Shaqkere Parris, Nathan Edwards. These are two good players. We know that we have games coming up thick and fast. Couple of days off and then travel. Will take some rest before returning to practice.

Chris Green (Antigua and Barbuda Falcons captain): I am immensely proud of the unit. It has been a tough ride for us. Two last ball losses to start the season wasn't ideal. To bounce back today like the way we did was tremendous. We had just less than four fielders and then the fielders outside the ring. It is hard to express on what the feeling is at the moment. Primus and Springer showed a lot of character and attitude. We showed ourselves what we can do. We will now look to have some fun in the last five games.

Fabian Allen is the Player of the Match, here is what he had to say: Oh my god, we were searching for that win and it's a great feeling. Needed to bat up the order, whatever the team requires I will do. When you take the catch of one of the greatest batters you are bound to celebrate. I am lucky to get that wicket. I just bowled in the right areas and believed in myself. We were searching for one win and finally we have got it. It was great playing in front of the crowd.

Antigua and Barbuda Falcons won by 6 runs

Imad Wasim 46(29) | Fabian Allen 3/23(4)
Andries Gous 39(33) | Waqar Salmkheil 2/27(4)

It came late but it has come finally. The Antigua and the Barbuda Falcons have managed to topple the four time champions Trinbago Knight Riders and register their maiden win of the season. The target of 177 would have been a record chase for TKR at this venue and in the end, it remained intact and they couldn't stitch together enough partnerships and in the end feel agonizingly close to the target. 

It was Andries Gous who came out to open the innings in the company of Sunil Narine. Gous struck a boundary off the first over but Sunil Narine couldn't quite getting and was holed out at long on off the bowling of Chris Green. Gous and Pareis shared a good stand of 62 runs but it was indeed a question to debate as to why Nicholas Pooran after a splendid knock in the first match wasn't asked to bat at No 3. 

Parris and Gous looked in good touch and struck some important boundaries but the rate kept climbing up which we hardly associate with a team like TKR. Parris was eventually dismissed by Fabian Allen just before the halfway stage of the match. Nicholas Pooran came in next and couldn't make an impact today. He went for the big shot first ball and ended up hitting it back to Allen who took a brilliant rebound catch. 

Gous tried to up the ante and departed in the process. At 79/4 in 12 overs, it looked an uphill task for TKR but with players like Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell in their ranks, you can never rule them out. Pollard struck a couple of lusty blows and scored a 15 ball 30 while Russell smashed a six on the way to his score of 11. 

However, both these batters were dismissed at crucial junctures of the game. Despite the Falcons facing over-rate penalties in the last three overs, which also resulted in one player being red-carded in the final over, TKR couldn't quite reach the target and eventually fell 6 runs short. Allen was adjudged the Player of the Match for his three crucial wickets.

19.6 Roshon Primus to Waqar Salamkheil, The Antigua and the Barbuda Falcons win by 6 runs. Salamkheil moves across off and tries to ramp this back of a length delivery over the fine leg region, doesn't make any contact. 

19.5 Roshon Primus to Akeal Hosein, WICKET! Sam Billings has affected the run out here and it's all smiles for the Falcons. Short of a length delivery from Primus which has been pulled away towards the square leg region, was a mistimed one and he had to come back for a brace, Sam Billings fumbled but the ball ricochetes off his gloves into the stumps.  

19.4 Roshon Primus to Josh Little, squeezes away the fuller one around middle, down towards the long on region and takes a single. 8 required off 2 deliveries. 

19.3 Roshon Primus to Terrance Hinds, WICKET! This could be the final nail in the coffin for the Trinbago Knight Riders. That was into the surface, around the off-stump, Hinds backs away and swipes it across the line, ends up chopping it onto stumps. This could be the day for the Falcons.

19.2 Roshon Primus to Akeal Hosein, yorker-length delivery a shade outside off, Hosein insides edges it onto his boot and scampers through for a single, good footwork from Primus and a shy at the stumps would have seen Hinds short of the crease. 9 required off 4 deliveries. 

19.1 Roshon Primus to Akeal Hosein, FOUR! Hosein has pulled that away for a boundary. Short of a length delivery around middle, Hosein manages to pull that over the midwicket fielder for a boundary. 10 required off 5 deliveries. 

18.6 Shamar Springer to Akeal Hosein, Hosein has come back for three runs. Was a low full toss a shade outside off, manages to slice that over the infield on the off side and has enough time to return for three runs. 

18.5 Shamar Springer to Terrance Hinds, again a terrific yorker a shade outside off, Hinds only manages to jam that away towards the cover region for a single. 

18.4 Shamar Springer to Akeal Hosein, a low full toss a shade outside off, squeezed away from the bottom half of the bat, down towards the backward point fielder and takes a single. 

18.4 Shamar Springer to Akeal Hosein, a well directed short one from Springer but just a bit too high for the square leg umpire's liking, has to be reloaded.