NEW DELHI: Swashbuckling
Nicholas Pooran
on Tuesday said that his 'sacrifice and hard work' have been central to his success in becoming the West Indies' leading T20 run-scorer, surpassing the legendary
Chris Gayle
.
The 28-year-old Trinidadian surpassed the 2,000-run milestone in T20 international cricket, smashing 98 runs against Afghanistan in Windies' 104-run win in the World Cup's concluding group match on Monday.
In addition to the feat, Pooran also overtook Gayle for the most sixes by a West Indies batsman in T20Is, achieving a total of 128 sixes compared to Gayle's 124.
"I'm just really happy that I can continue what he left. He obviously set the platform for us," said Pooran of Gayle.
"He's the definition of batting in T20 cricket. And I'm just really happy that I can continue to entertain people and take over where he has left."
Before Monday, Pooran had a challenging World Cup due to pitches that were often slow and low.
In his initial group games, he scored 17 against New Zealand, 22 against Uganda, and 27 facing Papua New Guinea.
The ups and downs of his World Cup performance mirror much of his career trajectory.
After participating in the 2014 Under-19 World Cup, Pooran faced a significant setback with a serious car accident that kept him out for an extended period.
He then played in various franchise leagues and finally made a mark internationally at the 2019 50-over World Cup, scoring a brilliant 118 against Sri Lanka. Later that year, Pooran faced a four-game suspension for ball-tampering.
In 2022, his reputation restored, he was named captain of the T20 squad for the World Cup in Australia. However, he resigned after the team’s disappointing losses to Scotland and Ireland.
Two years later, Pooran will be key to the West Indies' aspirations for a third
T20 World Cup
title as they advance to the Super Eights stage of the 2024 edition.
"It's a proud feeling. I've worked hard throughout my career," said Pooran.
"I've sacrificed a lot, so I want to be the best version of myself. What has happened now is only because of my hard work and belief in myself."
"I've worked extremely hard on my craft, batting on different positions and at the end of the day I'm a complete team guy. Whatever they require from me, I want to do it," Pooran added.
The West Indies will kick off their Super Eights campaign on Wednesday against defending champions England in Saint Lucia.
They will then face the United States in Barbados on Friday and play against South Africa in Antigua on Sunday.
The World Cup final is scheduled to take place in Barbados on June 29.
English (US) ·