The West Indies delivered a dominant performance to beat Afghanistan convincingly in their final T20 World Cup group match at the Dubai International Stadium. This comprehensive victory secured their place in the knockout stages with a strong display of batting and bowling.
West Indies Set a Formidable Target
Winning the toss, the West Indies elected to bat first and posted an imposing total of 198 runs. The opening partnership between Brandon King and Evin Lewis set the tone early. King scored a blistering 78 off 42 balls, smashing 10 fours and 3 sixes. Lewis supported with a quick 52 from 36 deliveries.
Middle-order batsmen Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer further boosted the total. Pooran remained unbeaten on 38 off 22 balls, while Hetmyer added a quick 25 from 15 deliveries. Their efforts helped the West Indies finish at a challenging 197/4 in 20 overs.
Afghanistan Struggle in the Chase
Afghanistan’s bowlers found it difficult to contain the West Indies’ aggressive batting. Rashid Khan was the only bowler to make an impact, taking 2 wickets for 33 runs. The rest of the attack struggled to slow down the scoring.
In reply, Afghanistan never gained momentum. The West Indies’ bowlers executed their plans perfectly, dismantling the Afghan batting lineup. Sheldon Cottrell struck early, removing openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Hazratullah Zazai in quick succession. From there, wickets fell regularly.
Najibullah Zadran was the lone resistance, scoring a fighting 40 off 28 balls. However, Afghanistan were bowled out for just 109 runs in 15.3 overs. Cottrell finished with excellent figures of 3/21, while Oshane Thomas and Jason Holder took two wickets each.
Post-Match Reactions
West Indies captain Kieron Pollard praised his team’s effort:
“It was a complete team effort today. The way the batsmen set up the game and the bowlers executed the plans was brilliant. We need to carry this momentum into the knockout stages.”
Afghanistan’s skipper Mohammad Nabi acknowledged the defeat but remained optimistic:
“We didn’t play our best cricket today. Credit to the West Indies for their performance. We have a young team, and this experience will only make us stronger.”
Looking Ahead
This emphatic win boosts the West Indies’ confidence as they advance to the semifinals. Fans can look forward to more exciting and high-intensity matches as the T20 World Cup progresses.
