- Author, Matthew Henry
- Role, BBC Sports Journalist in St Lucia
West Indies 218-5 (20 overs): Pooran 98 (53), Karl 43 (27); Gulbadin 2-14
Afghanistan 114 (16.2 overs): Ibrahim 38 (28); McCoy 3-14
West Indies won by 104 runs
Nicholas Pooran hit a stunning 98 as West Indies prepared for a Super 8s match against England in the T20 World Cup with a 104-run win over Afghanistan.
With both sides already through to the next stage, co-hosts West Indies dispatched a much fancied Afghanistan side with a statement win in St Lucia.
Pooran’s eight sixes helped the co-hosts amass 218-5 – the highest score of the tournament so far.
They were 85-1 after five overs with 36 runs from the fourth, including three Pooran sixes, a no-ball and five wides – equaling the record for the most expensive over in men’s T20.
After bringing down Afghan superstar Rashid Khan, left-hander Pooran was run out in the final over to desperately try to maintain the strike in pursuit of three figures.
But the dominance from the West Indies continued into Afghanistan’s chase when Akeal Hosein had Rahmanullah Gurbaz caught for a three-ball duck in a wicket maiden to start.
From there, the hosts found regular breakthroughs and Afghanistan were bowled out for 114 in 16.2 overs.
Obed McCoy took three wickets and spinners Akeal and Gudakesh Motie two each.
The victory concludes the opening group stage of this compelling World Cup, which now moves on to its second phase with eight teams battling it out in two groups to secure a semi-final spot.
West Indies and England meet on Wednesday (Thursday 01:30 BST) at this ground.
West Indies make a statement
image source, Getty Images
England, watch out. This was West Indies showing why they are perceived by many as the winners of this tournament.
Roared on by a raucous home crowd, they set a new record for the highest powerplay score in a T20 World Cup and went on to their highest total in the history of the tournament.
West Indies’ early boundaries were streaky – none more so than Pooran’s first boundary, which flew over the rope at third man off the leading edge.
Fazalhaq Farooqi, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, was bowled for 28 in his first two overs but it was economical compared to Azmatullah Omarzai’s knock in the fourth over.
After Pooran’s edgy six, he followed it up with a no-ball that was pulled for four by Pooran before the ensuing free hit flew wide of the keeper’s head. Still, the pain wasn’t gone – four leg-byes and two sixes followed.
Afghanistan managed to pull the score back thereafter as Pooran put on 80 with Johnson Charles, who scored 43, and 64 with Rovman Powell.
The left-hander went back up the gears to finish by taking 24 runs from the 18th over bowled by Rashid, including three sixes on the leg side. There were three balls to go when he ran back for two to give himself a shot at a maiden T20 hundred for the West Indies, but he was run out from a direct hit from the deep despite a dive.
West Indies’ all-round effort with the ball was as impressive as Pooran’s highlight of elegant hitting.
They have effective spinners, pace and experience and also captured everything in the field. They go into the match against England having won eight T20s in a row.
“I felt like it was my day” – reaction
West Indies batsman Nicholas Pooran: “I assessed the conditions early. It was really important for us not to lose wickets in the middle. I felt it was my day today and I had to take charge.
“We’ve been really consistent as a team. The way we’ve been playing is wonderful.”
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan: “The way they started with the bat, it was quite difficult to come back from it. To restrict them to 220 was a good effort.
“It’s good that it happened in this part of the tournament. We will learn from it.”
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