The West Indies continued their unbeaten run in Group C of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 with a dominant 104-run victory over Afghanistan at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia.

Nicholas Pooran entertains with a blazing knock

Opting to bat first after losing the toss, West Indies rode on a magnificent innings from Nicholas Pooran (98 off 53 balls) to post a daunting total of 218/5. Pooran smashed eight sixes and six fours in a belligerent display of power-hitting, ably supported by Johnson Charles (43 off 27) at the top of the order.

Afghan bowling lacked bite

The Afghan bowling attack struggled to contain the Windies batters. While Gulbadin Vice picked up two wickets, the likes of Rashid Khan (0/45) and Naveen-ul-Haq (1/41) were expensive.

Windies bowling dominates

In reply, Afghanistan’s chase never got going. Openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran (38 off 28) fell cheaply. The West Indies bowlers shared the spoils with Obed McCoy (3/14) leading the way with three wickets. Akeal Hossein (2/21) and Gudakesh Motion (2/28) were equally impressive, restricting Afghanistan to a paltry 114 all out in 16.2 overs.

Pooran deservedly named Player of the Match

Pooran’s match-winning knock was deservedly awarded the Player of the Match trophy. The win gave the West Indies a crucial psychological boost as they head into the Super 8 stage of the tournament.

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