West Indies left-hander Nicholas Pooran showcased a masterful blend of elegance and power, scoring a remarkable 98 runs with eight towering sixes, leading his team to a commanding 104-run victory over Afghanistan. The match, held at Gros Islet in St Lucia, marked the final first-round fixture of the Twenty20 World Cup.
Nicholas Pooran’s innings, however, ended in an unfortunate run-out by a direct hit from Azmatullah Omarzai while attempting a second run in the final over. Despite this, West Indies posted an imposing 218 for five, the highest team total of the tournament so far.
Nicholas Pooran Reflects on His Performance
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“I had to take responsibility,” said Nicholas Pooran, reflecting on his innings, which was the highest individual score of this year’s tournament. “In the West Indies, people want fours and sixes. You can’t do that every time but when conditions allow, you should capitalize.”
With this dominant win, West Indies head into the Super Eight stage with momentum and confidence, thanks largely to the stellar performance of Nicholas Pooran.
Afghanistan’s Response Falls Short
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In response, Afghanistan managed to score 114 in 16.2 overs. The result was largely academic as both teams had already secured their places in the Super Eight stage, set to commence on Wednesday.
After being put into bat on an excellent pitch, West Indies went on the offensive from the first ball. Brandon King set the tone by guiding a delivery from left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi to the leg side for four, followed by Johnson Charles striking another four through square leg, with 13 runs coming off the opening over.
Charles continued the assault with a boundary off Omarzai, before being dismissed. Nicholas Pooran then entered the fray, immediately making an impact with a six and a four, helping West Indies reach 50 runs in less than four overs.
Rashid Khan’s Efforts to Contain
Rashid Khan introduced himself into the attack in the fifth over to exert some control with his wrist spin, but he conceded 12 runs in the over. By the end of the powerplay, West Indies had raced to 92 for one, the highest score after six overs in this World Cup.
Although Afghanistan’s slower bowlers managed to stem the flow of runs somewhat, West Indies still stood at 113 for two after 10 overs and 148 for three after 15. The 200-run mark was reached after 18.5 overs, courtesy of medium pacer Gulbadin Naib, who was the seventh bowler used.
Afghanistan’s chase never gained momentum as the West Indies bowlers, led by left-arm paceman Obed McCoy, applied early pressure. McCoy, playing his first game of the tournament, was particularly impressive, taking three wickets for just 14 runs.
Nicholas Pooran, in addition to his batting heroics, contributed with a spectacular leaping catch in his role as wicketkeeper, further solidifying his all-around performance. Meanwhile, both West Indies and Afghanistan made it to the Super 8 before their final group game.
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