Moeen Ali helps Warriors cage Falcons

PROVIDENCE: Moeen Ali’s starring role with both bat and ball sent the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons crashing out of the 2024 Caribbean Premier League following a 27-run defeat to the Guyana Amazon Warriors here Saturday.

The England international hit the top score of 42 in the Warriors’ unimpressive total of 135 for seven in their 20 overs, after they lost the toss and were sent in to bat.

However, Player-of-the-Match Ali returned to snag three wickets to help rout the Falcons for 108 runs in 18.5 overs and bring an end to their mediocre season.

The loss gutted the slim chance the Falcons had of making the playoffs, while assuring the Warriors, the defending champions, their spot in the playoffs.

The result also secured the Trinbago Knight Riders’ place in the playoffs, despite having four preliminary games left to play.

It was actually the Falcons who dominated the opening half of the match, thanks mainly to a disciplined bowling effort.

Fast bowler Mohammad Amir dismissed Raymon Reifer for five, left-arm spinner Imad Wasim accounted for Gudakesh Motie for eight and Azham Khan made a pedestrian 29 from 24 balls before he fell to Hassan Khan, as the Warriors were restricted to 45 for three inside the 10th over.

And when Hayden Walsh and Wasim accounted for the wickets of Shimron Hetmyer for 13 and Shai Hope for 15, respectively, the Warriors were in serious trouble at 85 for five in the 16th over.

But Ali proved to be the hero during a crucial 36-run partnership with Keemo Paul that required just 12 balls.

Chasing a gettable target, the Falcons were comfortably placed at 41 for two in the seventh over, but suffered a middle order collapse that saw them lose five wickets for 35 runs.

Ali ended with 3-9 from his four overs, Dwaine Pretorius grabbed 3-9 from 2.5 overs and Imran Tahir took two wickets.