As the Caribbean Premier League nears the final stages of the regular season, the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons are at a pivotal point. With feathers sharpened from a season of grit, triumph, and heartbreak, the Falcons sit in third place on the CPL 2025 table: three wins, four losses out of their eight matches played, and two crucial battles remaining to determine their playoff chances.
After their first loss of the season in the opening away game, the Falcons showed grit, resilience, and firepower during their home matches, silencing doubters who still remember their rocky debut in 2024. At the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, home of the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons, the team soared, fuelled by record-breaking home crowds that carried Antigua and Barbuda pride and carnival cricket spirit on their wings.
Away from home, the skies have been more turbulent, frenzied home crowds for the opposition, and high-pressure moments testing the young franchise. Nonetheless, the Falcons remain: alive and dangerous, with everything still to play for.
This campaign has already delivered standout moments. Though officially listed as an overseas player, Karima Gore, a hometown favourite, ranks among the league’s highest scorers with three half-centuries and two not-outs so far. Rahkeem Cornwall, despite an underwhelming season with the bat, boasts the third-best bowling economy rate, conceding 64 runs from 60 balls with three wickets. Obed McCoy and Shakib Al Hasan both feature in the league’s top bowling performances, while young Jewel Andrew has impressed with bat and gloves, capping it off with one of the most spectacular catches of the season so far.
And then there’s Al Hasan, who made CPL and world T20 history in a Falcons jersey, becoming the first cricketer to complete the double of 7,000 runs and 500 wickets. That landmark wasn’t just his; it was Antigua and Barbuda’s moment, too.
Math versus Momentum: The Playoff Permutations
The math is simple; the emotions are anything but.
The Falcons are still in active play with two games remaining: September 5 versus the Barbados Royals in Bridgetown and September 10 versus the Guyana Amazon Warriors in Providence. These are not just games; they stand in the direct path to the playoffs.
Should the Falcons win both matches, emerging with five wins in total, they will secure a spot in the playoffs, with no questions asked, and possibly even finish in the top two to gain a playoff advantage.
Split Results in these remaining matches (1 win, one loss), and qualification hangs on a knife’s edge. The Falcons would then be at four wins, with fate to be decided by slip-ups by the St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots and Guyana Amazon Warriors. In this scenario, Net Run Rate (NRR), the cruel arbiter of margins and missed overs, could decide everything. The message is clear: win big when you win.
Losing both matches would clip the Falcons’ wings for the season, dreams deferred. No playoffs, season ends.
Confidence in Flight
Falcons Fans, take heart. This team has already proven it is no longer the CPL’s apprentice. This team has shown depth in its batting order, fire in its bowling attack, and nerves of steel when it mattered. Every crunch moment has sharpened their edge. With two matches left, the Falcons control their own destiny.
With two crucial matches ahead, the Falcons must dig deep and move powerfully, flying forward with talons ready and the Antigua and Barbuda spirit, toward the finish line.
At stake is more than just qualification. This is about legacy, pride, and showing the Caribbean that the Falcons are no one’s afterthought. The playoffs beckon, and the flight path is clear.
The true test is here: Two wins, and the sky belongs to the Falcons.