Falcons unveil overseas strike force for 2026 CPL campaign

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC):

The Antigua & Barbuda Falcons have locked in their overseas arsenal for the 2026 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League, unveiling a six-man contingent that marries global star power with tactical precision and rising subcontinental flair.

The Falcons’ foreign legion features English all-rounder Moeen Ali, Sri Lankan dasher Kusal Perera, USA batter Milind Kumar, Canadian all-rounder Tajinder Singh, Pakistan vice-captain Shadab Khan, and breakout Pakistan spinner Sufiyan Muqeem.

Moeen Ali headlines the group as white-ball royalty. The left-handed powerhouse and off-spinner, a World Cup winner with England in 2019 and T20 World Cup champion in 2022, remains a franchise magnet even after stepping away from international duty in 2024. With full availability for the entire season, Ali offers the Falcons a settled top-order presence and a reliable spin option.

Alongside him, Kusal Perera brings fireworks. The Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter, a member of his nation’s 2014 ICC World Twenty20-winning squad, is famed for his blistering strokeplay and holds the record as the fastest Sri Lankan to 1,000 T20I runs. His powerplay aggression and sharp glovework will add immediate depth and explosiveness from the opening fixture.

Milind Kumar and Tajinder Singh will join the squad from the season’s first ball, available for the opening three matches. Kumar, a right-handed batter and occasional off-break bowler, brings a wealth of experience from Indian domestic cricket, where he topped the Ranji Trophy run charts in 2018-19, and now represents the USA national team.

Tajinder Singh, a right-handed batting all-rounder who bowls off-spin for Canada, has turned heads in North American franchise cricket, including standout displays in Major League Cricket. Eager to translate that form to the CPL stage, he offers flexibility and a point of difference in the opening phase.

As the tournament progresses, the Falcons will welcome their spin twins. Shadab Khan, Pakistan’s T20I vice-captain, is a proven white-ball maestro.

But perhaps the most exciting name on the list is Sufiyan Muqeem. The left-arm wrist-spinner, fresh off being named Player of the Tournament at PSL 2026 after finishing as the leading wicket-taker for Peshawar Zalmi, is already an international force for Pakistan in both T20 Internationals and One-Day Internationals.

With a core West Indian contingent already headlined by Evin Lewis and Fabian Allen, the Falcons have constructed a squad that blends headline experience, tactical versatility, and youthful X-factor.