NEW DELHI: West Indies' left-hander
Nicholas Pooran
showcased a blend of elegance and power as he scored 98 runs, including eight sixes, on Monday. His performance propelled 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.
Pooran was run out by Azmatullah Omarzai's direct hit on the stumps in the final over while attempting a second run.
This run-out climaxed the West Indies' innings at 218 for five, marking the highest score of the tournament so far.
In response, Afghanistan managed only 114 runs in 16.2 overs. However, the result was largely academic since both teams had already secured their spots in the Super Eight round, which begins on Wednesday.
West Indies started aggressively after being asked to bat first on an excellent pitch in front of an excited crowd. Brandon King led the charge by guiding the first ball from left-arm paceman Fazalhaq Farooqi for four runs through the leg side.
Johnson Charles continued the momentum, striking another four through square leg, accumulating 13 runs in the first over. He then square drove Omarzai's first ball to the boundary and sliced for another four.
Though King was clean bowled, Pooran, known for being the most prolific six-hitter in T20s this decade, smashed a six and a four to push the team's score to 50 in under four overs.
Afghanistan's captain Rashid Khan introduced himself in the fifth over to exert some control with his wrist spin, managing to concede 12 runs. By the end of the powerplay, West Indies had tallied 92 for one, the highest score after six overs in a
T20 World Cup
.
The Afghan bowlers managed to slow the run rate somewhat, but the West Indies still managed to accumulate 113 for two by the 10th over and 148 for three by the 15th over. The 200-run mark was achieved after 18.5 overs, courtesy of medium pacer Gulbadin Naib, the seventh bowler employed.
Afghanistan never appeared to be in contention, as the West Indies bowlers maintained tight control from the start. Left-arm paceman Obed McCoy, playing his first game of the tournament, varied his length and pace effectively, taking three wickets for just 14 runs.
Pooran, also contributing as a wicketkeeper, made a spectacular leaping catch towards the end of the innings.
"I had to take responsibility," said Pooran after smashing the highest individual score at this year's tournament.
"In West Indies people want four and sixes. You can't do that every time but when conditions allow you should capitalise."
English (US) ·