1. World Cup T20
ScorecardThe West Indies coasted to a 104-run victory over Afghanistan in match No.6 of the T20 World Cup, at Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Gros Islet. The Windies, captained by Rovman Powell who scored 43 off just 31 balls in the chase and also took two wickets with his medium-pacers to maintain top performance all-round during this match had Afghanistan struggling in both batting and bowling departments throughout.
2. Nicholas Pooran 98 (45)
West Indies lost the toss and was invited to bat first, but they put on a masterclass of power-hitting. But Nicholas Pooran outdid everyone else by smashing an imperious 98 off just 53 balls. His 71 off just 33 balls contained six boundaries and eight monstrous sixes as his team racked up a score of to set the visitors an uphill task. Pooran fell just short of his first ODI hundred, being run out while attempting a second straight in the last over.
Ably complementing his brilliance was Johnson Charles, who weighed in with a handy 43 off just 27 deliveries to keep the scoreboard ticking. The top two are in the form of their lives and laid a good platform, middle order made sure that Windies reached to score at which Afghanistan was always under pressure.
3. Ball Problems in Afghanistan
Even after winning the toss, Afghanistan bowlers could find not their rhythm as West Indian batters remained unfazed. Gulbadin Naib was the pick of the bowlers as he picked 2 wickets for just14 runs. Wickets fell largely indiscriminatively as Naveen-ul-Haq and Azmatullah Omarzai struck once each but there was in reality, little that the bowlers could do to contain what were free-scoring Windies batsmen.
4. A Lame Duck Afghanistan Chase
In pursuit of a daunting 219-run target, Afghanistan never got going in the chase. They were dismissed for as little as 114 in 16.2 overs In response, leading run-scorer Ibrahim Zadran would try his best with the bat for Afghanistan but could only manage 38 from 28 deliveries before eventually bundling out under he intensity of Windies bowling.
5. Obed McCoy Leads the Charge
Obed McCoy (3-14) was the most successful of Windies bowlers. His ability to actually bowl quickly and accurately tore through the Afghan batting effort. The likes of Gudakesh Motie and Akeal Hosein too chipped in with 2 wickets apiece, while the remaining bowlers ensured that none of the Afghan batters were able to settle at crease.
7.Key Player Absence
Pacer Romario Shepherd was missing from the West Indies team as he returned home for the birth of his second child. It a chance brilliantly taken by Obed McCoy who came in place of Shepherd and made it count, giving his best performance thus far which also led to praise from teammates as well fans.
8.Looking Ahead
With the Super 8 stage fast approaching, both teams need to go back to the drawing board. Riding high on their recent form the West Indies will look to take into Afghanistan they would have wanted while nothing short of a re-think could save them from further collapses in must-win situations.
9. World Cup Teams:
West Indies Player List : Brandon , Johnson , Nicholas (w), Shai , Rovman (c), Sherfane , Andre ,…
Afghanistan Player Name : Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Gulbadin Naib, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mohammad Nabi, Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat,Rashid Khan(c) Noor Ahmad,Naveen-ul-Haq,Fazalhaq Farooqi.
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