West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran bats towards Afghanistan throughout an ICC Males’s T20 World Cup cricket match on the Darren Sammy Nationwide Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, St. Lucia, Monday, June 17, 2024.
AP Picture / Ramon Espinosa
GROS ISLET, St. Lucia (AP) — Nicholas Pooran scored 98 runs from 53 balls because the West Indies made 218-5 and beat Afghanistan by 104 runs on Monday within the ultimate match within the group stage on the Twenty20 World Cup.
Each groups already had certified for the Tremendous Eight stage however the West Indies completed unbeaten and atop Group C.
Obed McCoy took 3-14 as Afghanistan was bowled out for 114 in 16.2 overs and the West Indies despatched a message to future rivals within the playoff stage. The West Indies play their first Tremendous Eight match towards america on Wednesday.
Pooran’s whole was the very best particular person whole on the match and carried him previous 2,000 runs in Twenty20 internationals. He hit eight sixes and 6 fours in an explosive innings which propelled the West Indies to the very best group whole on the match.
“There have been many essential moments and on the finish of the day it’s all about group success,” Pooran mentioned. “I felt prefer it was my day and I needed to take the accountability. When it’s your day you must make it your day.”
Earlier, tempo bowler Lockie Ferguson achieved probably the most economical bowling figures in Twenty20 internationals as New Zealand earned a comfort closing win towards Papua New Guinea.
Pooran took benefit of good batting circumstances on the Daren Sammy Stadium, launching photographs to all elements of the bottom and taking 62 runs from blows which pierced or cleared the boundaries.
Afghanistan had performed its earlier matches on troublesome, turning pitches on which seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi and its spinners had dominated. It bowled out Uganda for 58, New Zealand for 75 and Papua New Guinea for 95.
The West Indies surpassed the very best of these totals Monday in fewer than seven overs.
After 5 overs the West Indies had been 85-1 and 92-1 on the finish of the six-over energy play, the very best whole in an influence play in T20 World Cup historical past.
Ferguson’s figures had been solely the second occasion of a bowler not conceding any runs in a four-over spell in T20s. The opposite was in 2021 by Canada’s Saad Bin Zafar, who picked up two wickets for no runs in 4 overs towards Panama.
“A troublesome wicket to bat on, good to bowl on,” Ferguson mentioned.
PNG’s batting failed towards New Zealand’s tempo assault. Eight wickets had been misplaced to quick bowling, with Tim Southee taking 2-11. Trent Boult returned 2-14 in 4 overs in his final T20 look for the Black Caps.
New Zealand completed third in Group C behind the West Indies and Afghanistan, whereas PNG went winless in its maiden T20 World Cup.
