During their final encounter of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in Group C, West Indies’ batsmen showed off their batting prowess with a huge 104-run and recorded a win over Afghanistan at St Lucia’s Daren Sammy Cricket Ground.
The Windies’ openers laid a good platform by batting first. However, the arrival of Nicholas Pooran at the crease changed the tide. The left-hander smashed a career-high 98 runs off in only 53 deliveries. His innings was a textbook in pure hitting, with eight majestic sixes and six boundaries. Pooran fell just short of a well-deserved century, but his knock pushed the West Indies to a huge total of 218/5, the tournament’s best score thus far.
Pooran surprised Afghanistan’s bowlers with his power hitting yet they had performed exceptionally well in the league stage. Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman who are known for their prowess in spinning the ball found it hard to restrict the free-flowing nature of strokes by the batsmen.
Afghanistan’s batting collapsed under enormous strain as they chased a difficult score. Opening for them Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Hazratullah Zazai offered a short glimmer of optimism with a quick start. After the openers left, the Afghan middle order disintegrated. Left-arm pacer Obed McCoy spearheaded the Windies bowling attack, picking up three crucial wickets. Spinners Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie joined the party, choking the flow of runs and restricting Afghanistan to a paltry 114 in 16.2 overs.
The West Indies secured the top position in group c after winning the match which also acted as a message to other teams participating in the tournament. An indication that Pooran is in charge in the batting department for West Indies, and seems already oiled up for the competitive T20 World Cup crown.
Key takeaways from the match:
- Nicholas Pooran’s unprecedented innings (the highest individual score in the event) established the tone for the West Indies’ dominant performance.
- The Windies’ batting depth, which included contributions from several batters besides Pooran, demonstrated their well-rounded batting squad.
- Afghanistan’s bowling attack, usually their strength, struggled against the Windies’ aggressive batting approach.
The West Indies will be teeming with confidence after this emphatic win, with the Super Eights just around the corner. Although their following-round foes have not yet been established, one fact remains – the West Indies will be a force to be reckoned with.
