Nicholas Pooran led the way with a brutal 75 not out, helping the Guyana Amazon Warriors record an impressive triumph.
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Nicholas Pooran’s potential is hardly a secret, but the same has not translated in the form of performances as often as he would have liked. One example of that would be the first half of IPL 2021 which saw Pooran struggle to score with the consistency, one would expect from a player of his calibre. However, the Windies batsman certainly seems confident as we edge closer to the second half of IPL 2021, if we consider his performance in the CPL 2021 encounter against Jamaica Tallawahs. Pooran was representing the Guyana Amazon Warriors whom he leads, smashing 75 runs off 39 deliveries to make a massive difference in the overall scoreline.
The Guyana-based franchise posted a total of 169 runs for the loss of six wickets, thanks to the Windies batsman who made his presence felt with a stunning performance. None of the other batsmen in the team managed to score in excess of 30 runs, showcasing the impact of the skipper. Andre Russell was the pick of the bowlers, accounting for two dismissals. Migael Pretorius, Chris Green and Carlos Braithwaite chipped in with a wicket apiece.
The Tallawahs never really stepped up during the chase, with none of the batsmen showcasing any initiative. A rare duck for Russell spelled the end of any hopes of a possible comeback, with Gudakesh Motie and Odean Smith maintaining the pressure. The duo chipped in with three dismissals apiece, with Naveen-ul-Haq accounting for two wickets. Opener Kirk McKenzie was the top run-getter for the Jamaica-based franchise with 28 runs off 26 deliveries in an innings comprising of two boundaries and a six. This perfectly showcases the lack of initiative from the batsmen, with the defeat making qualification for the semi-finals a tough prospect.
Pooran seemed supremely pleased following his game-changing knock, having been named as the Player of the Match.
“I know I was due and there was no better opportunity for me. I was looking forward to a big score today. (On rotating his bowlers) It was just about assessing really fast. I batted a little while there so I understood the surface. Knew it would be difficult with the new ball, but for the spinners it was easier. I tried to get a couple of overs from the seamers so that I can get the ball softer and hope that the ball would spin. Thankfully it happened today. Odean Smith was really good. It’s CPL, really good opportunity for youngsters,” said the Warriors skipper as quoted by Cricbuzz.
Tallawahs captain Rovman Powell admitted that the team needed to buck up, if they wished to register a win.
“Our batting in the middle overs led to our downfall, if we had batted better in the middle overs, we might have made a better game out of it. I am just not carrying on. I am getting some scores here and there but just not carrying on for a big one. (On tomorrow’s clash) Just try to improve in all three areas – batting, bowling and fielding – and once we improve, we can get over the line,” he stated.
