Saint Lucia: The West Indies have firmly announced their presence as a formidable force in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, following a stunning performance against Afghanistan at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground. Already qualified for the Super Eight stage, the co-hosts were chasing form and momentum against another undefeated Group C team.
Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan won the toss and opted to field, aiming for early breakthroughs. However, from the outset, the West Indies’ batting display was jaw-dropping. Despite losing Brandon King for 7 off 6 in the second over, Johnson Charles and Nicholas Pooran quickly shifted into top gear.
Charles struck three boundaries in the third over, setting the stage for Pooran’s extraordinary performance in the following over. Pooran produced a 36-run over off Azmatullah Omarzai’s bowling, including two sixes and several boundaries, marking only the fifth instance in Men’s T20I history an over has gone for 36 runs and the second time in a Men’s World Cup.
The onslaught continued as the pair propelled the West Indies to a record-breaking 92/1 at the end of the six-over Powerplay, the highest Powerplay score in Men’s T20 World Cup history. By the 6.5 over mark, the Windies had already surpassed Afghanistan’s previous highest conceded total of 95.
Charles was dismissed for 43 off 27 balls, ending an 80-run stand in just six overs. Shai Hope’s cameo of 25 off 17 maintained the run rate, while Pooran reached his half-century off 31 balls. Although the boundaries dried up between overs 12 and 15, Rovman Powell reignited the momentum with a six to push the total past 150.
Pooran dominated once more in the 18th over, taking 24 runs off Rashid Khan, who finished with 45 runs conceded from his four overs. Powell was dismissed for 26 off 15, bringing Andre Russell to the crease. Pooran, seeking a century, fell just short, run out for 98 off 53 balls, the highest individual score of the tournament so far.
The West Indies concluded their innings at 218/5, the highest team score in this T20 World Cup and their highest in T20 World Cup history. The innings broke several records, including:
- Highest total of Men’s 2024 T20 World Cup
- Highest individual innings of Men’s 2024 T20 World Cup
- Highest Powerplay in Men’s T20 World Cup history
- Highest total for West Indies in Men’s T20 World Cups
- Equal most runs conceded in one over in Men’s T20 World Cup history
- Second highest team total against Afghanistan in Men’s T20I history
- Pooran overtook Chris Gayle for most sixes by a West Indies player in Men’s T20I history
Facing a daunting chase, Afghanistan stumbled early, with Rahmanullah Gurbaz dismissed for 0 off 3 balls. Gulbadin Naib and Ibrahim Zadran steadied the innings briefly, but Afghanistan was 66/5 at the halfway mark.
Despite brief resistance from Karim Janat and Omarzai, Afghanistan was all out for 114, succumbing to their first defeat of the tournament. The West Indies’ comprehensive 104-run victory sends them into the next phase of the tournament in exceptional form, solidifying their status as title contenders.
