Maaz Sadaqat’s 114 in CPL Final has done for Kingsmen in the CPL final. Maaz Sadaqat is the only reason Jamaica Kingsmen have a total worth defending tonight at Kensington Oval. Without his 114, the Falcons would be chasing under 60. He carried an innings that collapsed completely around him. And with the Antigua Barbuda Falcons about to bat, 170 suddenly feels like it might be just enough.
Kingsmen Scorecard: Full First Innings
| Batter | Dismissal | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maaz Sadaqat | c James b Springer | 114 | 58 | 8 | 9 | 196.55 |
| Kirk McKenzie | c Cornwall b Seales | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Keacy Carty | c Shadab b Joseph | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 112.50 |
| Saim Ayub | c Nawaz b Moqim | 29 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 131.81 |
| Rovman Powell (c) | c Springer b Moqim | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Romaine Morris | lbw b Shadab | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Hassan Khan | c Seales b Moqim | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Keemo Paul | st Jangoo b Moqim | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Andre Russell | c Shadab b Joseph | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28.57 |
| Hunain Shah | not out | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Vitel Lawes | not out | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | b 1 lb 1 nb 1 w 9 | 12 | ||||
| Total | 20 overs | 170/9 |
Falcons Bowling Figures
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jayden Seales | 2 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 9.00 |
| Alzarri Joseph | 4 | 0 | 27 | 2 | 6.75 |
| Rahkeem Cornwall | 3 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 11.66 |
| Joshua James | 2 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 18.00 |
| Shadab Khan | 4 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 7.00 |
| Sufyan Moqim | 4 | 0 | 14 | 4 | 3.50 |
| Shamar Springer | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 10.00 |
Sadaqat Alone: The Story of This Innings
The fall of wickets table tells the full story in nine lines. Seven of nine wickets fell between overs 12 and 19.5. The middle and lower order produced a combined total of 15 runs. Sadaqat scored 114 of the total 158 runs scored by batters. The extras contributed 12. Take Sadaqat out of this innings and Kingsmen reach somewhere near 56.
He reached his fifty off 27 balls with five fours and three sixes. At the strategic timeout in the tenth over he was 58 off 27 with Ayub on 26. Kingsmen were 97 for 2. The platform felt solid. It was not. Everything around him collapsed.
His century came off 49 balls. Eight fours. Eight sixes at that stage. He kept going. He was finally caught by Joshua James off Shamar Springer’s only over for 114. He faced 58 balls in total. He hit eight fours and nine sixes. His strike rate was 196.55. The Falcons got him in the final over of the innings but by then he had given Kingsmen something to bowl at.
The Moqim Masterclass That Defined the Middle Overs
While Sadaqat built his extraordinary innings, Sufyan Moqim systematically dismantled the batting lineup around him. The left-arm spinner took 4 for 14 from four overs at an economy of 3.50. That is one of the great bowling performances in a CPL final.
He took Powell for a golden duck. He took Morris for a duck. He took Hassan Khan for 1. He stumped Keemo Paul off his own bowling. Four wickets for 14 runs while the opposition’s best batter was scoring at nearly 200 strike rate at the other end. Moqim’s spell single-handedly reduced Kingsmen from a competitive position at 97 for 2 to 113 for 6 in the space of four overs.
The Powerplay That Built False Hope
Kingsmen scored 59 for 2 from the first six overs. That is a strong powerplay total. But both wickets fell to genuine quality deliveries. McKenzie was caught at first slip for 0 off 4 balls by Jayden Seales. Carty managed just 9 off 8 before Alzarri Joseph found his edge.
The 50-run partnership between Sadaqat and Ayub in 31 balls gave Kingsmen momentum. Ayub’s 29 off 22 balls was the only substantial contribution outside Sadaqat across the entire innings. When Moqim removed him with a sharp caught-and-bowled at short cover off Hasan Nawaz in the 11th over, it triggered the collapse that defined the second half of Kingsmen’s innings.
What Falcons Need to Win the CPL Title
The Antigua Barbuda Falcons need 171 to win the CPL 2026 championship. Their batting lineup is strong enough to chase this. Rahkeem Cornwall’s powerplay strike rate is the best in CPL history across batters who have faced a minimum of 50 powerplay balls. Evin Lewis provides top-order firepower. Moeen Ali bats at five and can finish.
The concern for Falcons is whether 170 on a Kensington Oval wicket that has offered something to spin bowling produces a harder chase than the number suggests. Hunain Shah has bowled 22 yorkers in this CPL, the most of any overseas player. Andre Russell remains dangerous with the ball. Keemo Paul provides spin variety. Kingsmen have the bowling tools to make this uncomfortable.
Is 170 Enough For Kingsmen?
The average first innings score at Kensington Oval in T20 cricket this season has been above 160. The Falcons are a quality batting side. Cornwall and Lewis can take the powerplay apart if given any width. Moeen Ali has match-winning experience. Shadab Khan bats at six and is a dangerous lower-order presence.
But 170 is more than Kingsmen were likely to post without Sadaqat. His innings manufactured a total from nothing. The franchise cricket environment that allows 21-year-olds from Peshawar to manufacture finals performances is exactly what makes franchise T20 cricket so compelling globally.
It has been explored in our piece on the impact of franchise leagues on cricket. The CPL specifically has a history of producing these moments across its 14 seasons, as explored in our piece on the top 5 cricket leagues in the world.
Conclusion
Jamaica Kingsmen posted 170 for 9 in the CPL 2026 final. Maaz Sadaqat scored 114 of those runs off 58 balls with eight fours and nine sixes. He reached his century off 49 balls. He was the last specialist batter dismissed, caught in the final over. Sufyan Moqim took 4 for 14 and dismantled the middle order that Sadaqat was trying to hold together. Alzarri Joseph added two more. The Antigua Barbuda Falcons walk out to bat needing 171 to become the CPL 2026 champions. Whether 170 is enough is the question the second innings must answer.
