Jun 18, 2024
West Indies left-hander Nicholas Pooran displayed a blend of elegance and power, scoring 98 with eight sixes on Monday, leading his team to a 104-run victory over Afghanistan in the final first-round match of the Twenty20 World Cup at Gros Islet in St Lucia.
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Pooran was run out by a direct hit on the stumps by Azmatullah Omarzai while attempting a second run in the final over, as West Indies posted 218 for five, the highest score of the competition.
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In response, Afghanistan managed 114 in 16.2 overs. However, the result was largely academic since both teams had already qualified for the Super Eight round, beginning on Wednesday.
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Brandon King guided the first ball from left-arm paceman Fazalhaq Farooqi through the leg side for four, and Johnson Charles struck another four through square leg, yielding 13 runs from the first over.
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Charles drove the first ball from Omarzai to the boundary, then sliced to third man for four. King was clean bowled before Pooran, the most prolific six-hitter in T20s this decade, smashed a six and a four, bringing up the team's 50 in less than four overs.
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Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan brought himself on in the fifth over to try and exert some control with his wrist spin, only to concede 12 runs. At the end of the powerplay, West Indies were 92 for one, the highest score after six overs in a T20 World Cup.
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Afghanistan's slow bowlers managed to regain some control, but the score was still 113 for two after 10 overs and 148 for three after 15. The 200 came up after 18.5 overs off medium pacer Gulbadin Naib, the seventh bowler used.
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The Afghans were never in contention as the West Indies bowlers imposed a stranglehold from the start, with left-arm paceman Obed McCoy, playing his first game of the tournament, varying his length and pace to take three for 14.
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Pooran, in his role as wicketkeeper, took a spectacular leaping catch before the innings concluded.
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