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Already assured of a place in the Super 8 phase of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, the West Indies faced Afghanistan in their final group match at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St. Lucia on Monday. The West Indies displayed sheer dominance, securing a massive 104-run triumph over the Afghan team.
Nicholas Pooran’s explosive innings
Nicholas Pooran was the standout performer for the West Indies, delivering a spectacular display of power hitting. Pooran dismantled the Afghan bowling attack, scoring an impressive 98 runs before an unfortunate run-out denied him a century. His innings included 6 boundaries and 8 towering sixes.
Breaking records
Pooran’s blitzkrieg helped him surpass Chris Gayle‘s West Indies record of 124 T20I sixes, taking his tally to 128. He now joins the elite company of top six-hitters in Men’s T20Is, trailing only Rohit Sharma (194), Martin Guptill (173), Jos Buttler (130), and Glenn Maxwell (129).
Azmatullah Omarzai’s expensive over
During the match, Afghan bowler Azmatullah Omarzai conceded 36 runs in one over, equaling an undesirable record in T20 World Cup history. Notably, during the 2007 T20 World Cup, England’s Stuart Broad gave away 36 runs when Yuvraj Singh hit six consecutive sixes in an over Pooran, meanwhile, scored 26 of those 36 runs (two fours and three sixes), with the rest coming from extras.
Also READ: Netizens react as Nicholas Pooran guides West Indies to an emphatic win over Afghanistan in T20 World Cup 2024
Breakdown of the over:
- 3.1: Azmatullah to Pooran, SIX. Full delivery outside off, Pooran edged it over third man for a maximum.
- 3.2: Azmatullah to Pooran, no ball, FOUR. Short ball outside off, Pooran pulled it over mid-wicket for a boundary.
- 3.3: Azmatullah to Pooran, 5 wides. Short ball took off, went past Pooran’s attempted pull and beat the keeper to the fence.
- 3.4: Azmatullah to Pooran, FOUR. Full with width, Pooran lifted it over point for another four.
- 3.5: Azmatullah to Pooran, SIX. Full on the pads, Pooran cleared his front leg and hit it over cow corner for an 89m six.
- 3.6: Azmatullah to Pooran, SIX. Full outside off, Pooran launched it over long-off for a flat six.
