Shadab Khan Stars as Falcons Beat Knight Riders in CPL 2026
By Ahmed Raza | Last updated: August 23, 2026
Antigua and Barbuda Falcons beat Trinbago Knight Riders by six wickets at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Sunday, keeping their unbeaten home record intact in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League. An unbroken 76-run stand between Kusal Perera and Shadab Khan carried the Falcons through a chase that had looked far from straightforward.
Khan was the difference on both sides of the innings. He finished the chase unbeaten on 52 off just 20 balls and had earlier returned figures of 1 for 8 from his four overs, a performance that made him the clear choice for Player of the Match.
Knight Riders had set the tone early with the bat. Colin Munro and Nicholas Pooran took the attack to the Falcons bowlers inside the powerplay, Munro working the ball into the leg side while Pooran mixed in his switch-hit approach, and the visitors reached 73 for 1 inside the first six overs. The Falcons responded before the strategic timeout, removing Pooran, Munro and Matthew Breetzke in quick succession. The introduction of Khan alongside Tobago-born seamer Joshua James proved decisive, with James finishing with 2 for 23, including the wickets of Pooran and Kieron Pollard. Knight Riders eventually closed on 165 for 6, a total that fell short of what their powerplay had promised.
The Falcons’ own run chase began cautiously, with just 33 runs coming in the powerplay and the early loss of Rahkeem Cornwall. Amir Jangoo and Moeen Ali both threatened to take the game away from Knight Riders before falling, leaving Perera and Khan to close it out. The turning point arrived in the 18th over, when 21-year-old Nathan Edward, who had bowled well up to that point, conceded 27 runs and was taken off after sending down a second waist-high no-ball, with Pollard brought in to bowl the final delivery of the over. From there, needing 11 off 12 balls, Khan settled the contest in three deliveries.
The result gives the Falcons back-to-back wins and moves them to the top of the CPL table for now, while Knight Riders suffer a second consecutive defeat as the defending champions continue to search for consistency this season.
