Pooran blasts way into BBL with fourth fastest 50
Caribbean Life, JANUARY 1-7, 2021 23
By Nelson A. King
West Indies left-handed,
aggressive batsman Nicholas
Pooran has blasted his way into
Australia’s Big Bash League
(BBL) with the fourth fastest
50 in the competition’s history
for the Melbourne Stars,
according to news.com.au.
But the Australian news
outlet said on Dec. 26 that
Pooran’s feat wasn’t enough,
as the Sixers pinched a one
wicket win with one ball to
spare in a thriller of a grand
final rematch.
“The Sixers continued to
have the wood over the Stars
with the final over victory after
one of the craziest matches the
BBL has seen, on the back of
a stunning knock by Sydney
captain Daniel Hughes,” news.
com.au said.
It said that, with four overs
remaining, the Sixers still
needed 52 runs to win with
Hughes and Carlos Brathwaite
at the crease.
After some lusty blows, the
equation was down to 21 off 10
balls when Carlos Brathwaite
went for a six, only to be caught
on the boundary.
After 10 overs, Melbourne
was 4 for 62 and looking like
they were going nowhere.
But newcomer Pooran
showed why he’s one of the
most in demand T20 players
in World cricket, “as he teed
off in a brutal 65 off 26 balls,
monstering two fours and eight
sixes,” news.com.au said.
It said Pooran and Glenn
Maxwell shared a 125-run
stand when Pooran was caught
by West Indies teammate Jason
Holder on the boundary.
Incredibly, at the 19th over,
the Stars had tripled their score
of 4 for 62 from the 10th over,
finishing on 5 for 193.
“One of the most explosive
innings we’ve seen in
quite some time in the BBL,”
said Andy Maher, allowing to
Pooran’s exploit.
“People have made tons,
they’ve made more but that
65 off 26 is one of the cleanest
striking you will ever witness.
Take a bow Nicholas Pooran,
welcome to the BBL.”
Maxwell ended up on 71 not
out off 47 balls and was made
to look relatively pedestrian in
comparison to Pooran, news.
com.au said.
It said the West Indian hit
his 50 off just 17 balls, the fastest
half-century for the Stars.
West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran in action against Afghanistan in Headingley, Leeds, Britain on
July 4, 2019. Action Images via Reuters/Lee SmithCricket, fi le
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