Maaz Sadaqat Century Sends Jamaica Kingsmen Through in Eliminator

Saturday night, the Barbados Tridents and Jamaica Kingsmen played the game of the 2026 CPL group phase. Wednesday’s Eliminator rematch at the Kensington Oval would decide whose season would continue.

We would not get a repeat of Saturday’s drama. Instead, we would get a magical innings from Maaz Sadaqat. His 112 from 49 deliveries batted the Jamaica Kingsmen into the Qualifier 2, winning easily by 9 wickets over the Barbados Tridents.

When Jamaica Kingsmen won the toss they didn’t hesitate in sending Barbados Tridents into bat first. Chris Green didn’t mind, thinking the wicket would deteriorate in the chase due to the number of games played on it.

The power play was all Kingsmen. It started 5 balls in with Hassan Khan getting Brandon King to find an outstretched Rovman Powell for a duck, a wicket maiden opening over for Hassan Khan. Romaine Morris would continue the fast Kingsmen start by making a juggling catch off Kevlon Anderson, Andre Russell getting Anderson to edge behind for another duck. Zachary Carter leery innings would end on 3, another edged ball to Morris behind.

By the time Hunain Shah came on to start the 6th over, the Tridents were in trouble. One ball into Hunain’s spell Shadrack Descarte would be gone LBW, an appeal gone right for the Kingsmen as DRS showed the ball would hit between middle and leg stump. The power play limped to 24-4 before Sherfane Rutherford’s innings would end an over later bowled by Siam Ayub.

At 30-5 Chris Green would enter the crease, needing to keep things together with Quinton de Kock. Keemo Paul would be the bowler both would target as they picked up 24 runs in the 2 middle overs he bowled. They minimized the risks, survived a Vitel Lawes drop as they went for a half century, then a 34 ball half century from De Kock. With only 3 fours and 2 sixes in De Kock’s 7th CPL half cenutry, it showed the pair were doing what they could to build both the partnership and find a way to salvage the innings.

Going into the final 5, the 6th wicket partnership had grown to 61 runs, the middle overs only seeing the loss of 1 wicket. Chris Green, looking more comfortable in the middle than he has at any point in the season, began to match De Kock’s energy. After 17 runs to start the final five overs, Andre Russell would bowl the 18th over, and after 2 deliveries looked hurt. In 6 balls, the first a wide, the pair would add 18 runs before Russell would go off for treatment.

The 6th wicket partnership would reach the century partnership from 74 deliveries before Chris Green picked up his 4th CPL half century to close the 19th over, his 5th four to go with a 6 in 41 deliveries. The pair would bat out the innings, the 6 wicket partnership going for 114 runs, 53 of those coming in the final 5 overs.

With the Barbados Tridents recovering from 30-5 to 144-6 the Tridents would think they gave themselves a chance in chase.

The chase was almost unfair. When the second ball was sent for six it was a warning the Tridents had no chance.

It didn’t matter if it was Daniel Sams, Chris Green, AZ Ghazanfar or Gudakesh Motie. Kirk McKenzie got out of the way and Maaz Sadaqat did the rest. The power play hadn’t ended before Sadaqat had a 22 ball half century, 5 fours and 4 sixes getting Sadaqat to 53. Before the Tridents could breathe, the Kingsmen power play had gone for 79 without loss. It took 2.3 overs for the Kingsmen to match the Tridents power play total, 7.2 overs to match what the Tridents had in the middle overs.

All Chris Green had left was a desperation LBW review of McKenzie to end the 10th over, a ball missing on height. Sadaqat wasn’t done after drinks. 2 overs after drinks Sadaqat made history by becoming the youngest CPL centurion, 100 from 44 deliveries.

Sadaqat still wasn’t done, adding 12 more runs to his tally before finally departing. Daniel Sams finally ended the innings with a change up that was mishit, a pop fly right to the bowler. With 9 fours to go with 8 sixes it one of the easier decisions for player of the match.

By the time Sadaqat departed the Kingsmen only needed 7 runs. 6 balls after the wicket fell they were through, a Kevlon Anderson wide sending the Kingsmen through and ending the Tridents season. Kirk McKenzie would end and unbeaten 22 from 34 deliveries as he was a witness to a bit of history on this night.