TAROUBA, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO - JUNE 12: Nicholas Pooran of West Indies bats during the ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup West Indies & USA 2024 match between West Indies and New Zealand at Brian Lara Cricket Academy on June 12, 2024 in Tarouba, Trinidad And Tobago. (Photo by Darrian Traynor-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

<p>The Darren Sammy Cricket Ground in Saint Lucia witnessed a masterclass in T20 batting on the 18th of June. The West Indies, facing an undefeated Afghanistan side in their final Group C encounter, unleashed an offensive onslaught that rewrote record books.</p>



<p>For the Afghans, it was a chance to cement their reputation as giant slayers. For the Windies, it was an opportunity to make a statement, to remind the cricketing world of their T20 pedigree. And what a statement they made!</p>



<p>Instead of a tight, tense battle, the Windies chose to unleash an offensive onslaught that left the passionate Saint Lucian crowd breathless. Textbooks were thrown out the window as boundaries rained down like tropical showers. Records that had stood tall for years were shattered with audacious strokeplay. The dominance was absolute, a masterclass in T20 batting that sent a resounding message across the cricketing world: the Windies are back, and they are here to reclaim their T20 crown.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WI vs AFG: Records Shattered as Windies Unleash Batting Fury</h2>



<p>Captain Rashid Khan&#8217;s decision to bowl first backfired spectacularly. Brandon King&#8217;s early dismissal was a mere blip as Johnson Charles and Nicholas Pooran exploded. Charles, his blade finding the gaps with surgical precision, laid the foundation. But it was Pooran who stole the show. In a display of sheer brutality, he launched a 36-run over off Azmatullah Omarzai, etching his name into the history books alongside legends like Yuvraj Singh.</p>



<p>Boundaries rained down like St. Lucian confetti. The Windies posted a staggering 92 runs in the Powerplay, the highest ever in a T20 World Cup. Records continued to tumble as Pooran and Charles reached their fifty-run partnership in just six overs – the fastest in World Cup history. By the time Charles departed for a well-made 43, the scorecard read a daunting 113/2 at the drinks break.</p>



<p>Shai Hope kept the momentum going, while <a href="https://www.caribbeancricket.org/west-indies-t20-world-cup-squad-announced/">Pooran</a> reached his maiden T20 World Cup half-century in a mere 31 balls. The run rate dipped slightly in the middle overs, but Rovman Powell stepped up with a lusty six to push the score past 150.</p>



<p>The pièce de résistance came in the 18th over. Pooran, on a mission, took apart the usually wily Rashid Khan, smashing him for a staggering 24 runs. He fell agonizingly short of a well-deserved century, dismissed for a career-best 98 by a sensational throw from Omarzai.</p>



<p>The Windies finished with a monumental 218/5, the highest total of the tournament and their highest ever in a T20 World Cup. The carnage had left Afghanistan reeling.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WI vs AFG: Afghanistan Stumble in Face of Mammoth Target</h2>



<p>Chasing an improbable target, Rahmanullah Gurbaz&#8217;s early dismissal set the tone. While Gulbadin Naib and Ibrahim Zadran showed some fight, wickets fell at regular intervals. Gumakesh Motie was the pick of the West Indies bowlers, picking up three wickets. Afghanistan limped to a meagre 114, handing the Windies a comprehensive 104-run victory.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WI vs AFG: Windies Send Ominous Warning to T20 World Cup Rivals</h2>



<p>This match was a statement of intent from the Windies. They displayed a ruthless batting performance, rewriting record books and showcasing their explosive batting potential. Nicholas Pooran, with his audacious strokeplay, emerged as the star of the show. The bowling attack, though overshadowed by the batting fireworks, did their job efficiently, restricting a decent Afghan batting line-up.</p>



<p>The West Indies enter the Super Eights brimming with confidence, their swagger evident in every stride. Their dominant display against Afghanistan has served as a stark warning to their competitors – the Windies are a force to be reckoned with, and anyone facing them will need to be at their absolute best. With such red-hot form coursing through their veins, the upcoming matches in the tournament promise to be electrifying.</p>



<p>Their path in the Super Eights is no cakewalk. They&#8217;ll be sharing the group with old rivals England, the unpredictable <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/jun/06/usa-pakistan-t20-world-cup-match-report-cricket">USA</a>, and the ever-dangerous South Africa. Their first test will come on the 20th of June at the familiar confines of the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in Saint Lucia, where they&#8217;ll face England in a highly anticipated clash.</p>



<p>The Windies will then travel to the historic Kensington Oval in Bridgetown for their second Super 8 game against the USA on the 22nd of June. Finally, they&#8217;ll conclude their Super 8 campaign against South Africa on the 24th of June at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.</p>



<p>The Windies will undoubtedly face stiff competition in the Super Eights, but their recent performance has instilled a sense of belief within the team and their fans. They&#8217;ll be looking to carry this momentum forward and roar their way into the knockout stages, leaving a trail of shattered records and broken spirits in their wake.</p>

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