Jobaaj Stories
The West Indies cricket team made a powerful statement of intent at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground when they defeated Afghanistan by a commanding 104-run margin in their Group C match. It was an amazing performance of cricketing prowess. With this win, they guaranteed their spot in the eagerly awaited Super Eight stage in addition to maintaining their unbeaten record in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
The hosts were keen to make an impression from the time West Indies captain Rashid Khan chose to play after winning the toss. Even though they lost the first game early due to an injury to Brandon King, Johnson Charles and Nicholas Pooran combination soon made things easier for them. Pooran, who showed incredible poise and power-hitting ability, and Charles, who played aggressively with the bat, set the stage for an innings that would break records.
Afghanistan cricket team performances in the last 3 matches,
— KING BABAR (@BABAR_AZAM11) June 18, 2024
UGA = 58/10 all out
NZ = 75/10 all out
PNG = 95/10 all out
BUT NICHOLAS POORAN scored 98(53) vs Afghanistan AND west indies cricket team played really good cricket and made 218 Against Afghanistan.
#Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/jH18wF1uh4
The crucial moment occurred in the sixth over when Pooran attacked Afghanistan's bowler Azmatullah Omarzai with a flurry of boundaries. With sixes, wides, and a barrage of boundaries, this over produced an astounding 36 runs, demonstrating Pooran's ability to demolish any bowling attack on his day. This assault not only helped the West Indies reach their greatest Powerplay total (92 runs) in the history of the Men's T20 World Cup, but it also laid the groundwork for an incredible innings total.
In addition to becoming the best individual score of the competition so far, Nicholas Pooran's innings of 98 runs off just 53 balls broke Chris Gayle's record for the most sixes hit by a West Indian player in Men's T20 Internationals. After completing their allocated 20 overs, the West Indies reached a record-breaking 218/5, shattering previous records and posing a formidable challenge to Afghanistan.
These teams have qualified for T20 World Cup 2026:
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) June 17, 2024
- India
- Sri Lanka
- Afghanistan
- Australia
- Bangladesh
- England
- South Africa
- USA
- West Indies
- Ireland
- New Zealand
- Pakistan
Get ready for India vs Pakistan 🇮🇳🇵🇰🔥🔥#tapmad #HojaoADFree #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/S909aopHtw
Afghanistan began their innings carefully but lost vital wickets at regular intervals, falling short of a challenging 219 runs needed to win. Afghan progress was never allowed, as the West Indian bowlers applied constant pressure in spite of attempts by Gulbadin Naib and Ibrahim Zadran to steady the batting. Afghanistan found themselves struggling at 66/5 by half of their innings, which is a credit to the West Indies' disciplined bowling and fielding.
The bowlers from the West Indies, led by Gutakesh Motie and others, bowled with discipline, causing Afghanistan's batting lineup to crumble. Standout plays on the field during the game, such as vital catches and run-outs, further solidified the West Indies' supremacy in every aspect of the game.
West Indies vs Afghanistan
— Prince Nishat (@teasersixer) June 18, 2024
One man Nicholas Pooran has scored more runs than the whole Afghanistan team pic.twitter.com/BhmJmOHkeI
With their decisive win, the West Indies have cemented their position as the tournament's front-runners. Their outstanding performance not only highlights their desire to win the championship, but it also makes a strong statement to their rivals in the Super Eight round. The cricketing world will be keenly observing to see if the West Indies can maintain their form and win their third ICC Men's T20 World Cup as the competition goes on.
