In the 40th match of the T20 World Cup 2024, co-hosts West Indies gave a glimpse of bowlers’ fate in the Super 8 stage when they bowl at Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, St Lucia. West Indies opener Johnson Charles and wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran punished Afghanistan pacers to make use of the fielding restrictions to break a long-standing record of highest powerplay score in T20 World Cups.
West Indies scored 92 runs for the loss of wickets in first six overs. The previous record for highest powerplay score belonged to Netherlands. In T20 World Cup 2014, Netherlands scored 91/1 against Ireland in Sylhet. For a full-member nation, the record belonged to England when they scored 89/3 against South Africa in the 2016 edition of the tournament.
4th highest in T20Is
92/1 is also the highest powerplay scores in T20Is as per available ball-by-ball data). South Africa hold the record with 102 for no loss against West Indies in 2023. West Indies have scored 98/4 against Sri Lanka in 2021. The third spot is occupied by Ireland with 93 for no loss against West Indies in 2020.
36-run in an over
The record was broken following a T20 World Cup record-equalling 36-run over by Azmatullah Omarzai. In the fourth over of the innings, Azmatullah bowled a no ball and five wides. He was hit for three sixes and two fours by Pooran whereas another boundary was conceded via leg byes.
The only wicket lost in the powerplay overs was of Brandon King. In the second over, Azmatullah knocked him over with a fuller delivery. Pooran and Charles' second-wicket partnership turned 50 from just 14 overs. West Indies would have crossed the 100-run mark in the powerplay overs but Naveen-ul-Haq conceded just seven runs in the sixth over. The partnership was broken by Naveen in the eighth over. Charles fell for a 27-ball 43.
Pooran misses century
Pooran slowed down in the middle overs. He reached his fifty from 31 balls in the 14th over. Once again, he went berserk in the slog overs. The southpaw hit Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan for three sixes and a four in the 18th over. In the final over, he hit Naveen for a couple of sixes before getting run out by Omarzai. He scored 98 runs from 53 balls including six fours and eight sixes. His knock helped West Indies post 218/5. This is the highest total in T20 World Cup 2024 so far.
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