WI VS AFG MATCH 40

Right then, that is it from this one-sided affair and the group stages as well. Next up in the World Cup is the Super-8 stages. In the first match, it will be the co-hosts, USA taking on South Africa on 19th June, Wednesday. That will begin at 8 pm IST (2.30 pm GMT), but as you know, you can always join us early for all the build-up to the game. Until then, cheers and goodbye!

Rovman Powell, the victorious skipper of West Indies says that it feels very good to finish unbeaten. Says the hard work they have been putting in for the last year or so is paying off. Adds that the guys are always excited to play in the Caribbean and St. Lucia is one of the best batting surfaces in the tournament. He appreciates Pooran saying that he has worked very hard and he set a solid foundation for them in the game. Adds that they started the tournament with a little advantage of the home conditions. Mentions that when he started his journey as the captain, they were ranked 8th and now they are 3rd in the world. Says the support has been incredible wherever they have gone. Also thanks his head coach, Darren Sammy for being the driving force in his journey as the skipper.

Rashid Khan, the captain of Afghanistan says that West Indies batted really well in the Powerplay and it is hard to come back when you conceded 90 runs in the first six overs. Adds that they still bowled well in the middle overs to restrict them under 220 considering the start they got. Mentions that it is important how they execute their plans with the ball and they will take a lot of learnings from this game. Says that it is good that it has happened at this stage of the tournament and it will help them understand how to play in the upcoming matches. Further adds that the strong breeze was a factor and as a bowler, you need to consider which side to bowl and keep the overs under 10 runs. Ends by saying that, they still had a lot of positives from this match.

Nicholas Pooran is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his scintillating knock of 98. He begins by saying that you don't want to get run out after being on 97 but says in the end, you need to take your team to a good total. Says they assessed the conditions properly and he felt that it was his day and just made it big. Says in T20 cricket everyone wants to see fours and sixes but states it is not that easy to get it done in each and every game. Ends by saying that they have been really consistent not only in this World Cup, but in the last 13-14 months and also climbed to the 3rd spot in the ICC rankings. Ends up appreciating Sherfane Rutherford and says that his knock in the last game really inspired them.

Presentation Time...

Earlier in the game, West Indies post a record-breaking total on the board courtesy of a swash-buckling 98 from Nicholas Pooran along with some quick-fire knocks from Johnson Charles, Shai Hope, and Rovman Powell. Afghanistan were pretty ordinary with the ball and they wouldn't have hoped for a performance like this just before the Super 8s. Gulbadin Naib was the pick of the bowlers with a couple of wickets while Noor Ahmad was economical as well. Naveen-ul-Haq and Azmatullah Omarzai chipped in with one each but were very expensive while Rashid Khan also had an off day in this game. While chasing, the Afghans were never really in it and in the end fell short by 104 runs.

West Indies, on the other hand, were brilliant with the ball right from the start. Akeal Hosein once again got an early breakthrough and set the tone for them. The Afghans built up a little partnership that was broken by Gudakesh Motie. Obed McCoy was excellent as well who played his first match of the World Cup and picked up three wickets including two in the same over. Hosein added one more to his tally while Alzarri Joseph also got one. It was just a matter of time before it was Andre Russell who wrapped things up for the Windies.

Afghanistan were rocked early when Rahmanullah Gurbaz fell for a duck in the very first over. Ibrahim Zadran took the initiative and played a few lusty blows but was dismissed at the wrong time for them. After that, except for Azmatullah Omarzai no one really could make any sort of impact, and they suffered a huge collapse in the middle which has been a concern for them for a long time now. Rashid Khan did score a few boundaries towards the end, but to be honest we all knew that was never going to be enough here.

WEST INDIES THRASHES AFGHANISTAN IN ST. LUCIA! Darren Sammy will be a proud coach to see his team perform like this in his own stadium. It was really a demolition job from the Windies and the crowd here has been thoroughly entertained. Even though this result does not affect Afghanistan, they would have hoped to put on a strong challenge to the home team.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND TAKEN! DONE AND DUSTED! A real Caribbean flare! West Indies win in style by a mammoth margin of 104 runs! 8 wins on the trot and the longest winning streak in the T20Is for the Men In Maroon. Fuller-length delivery, in the slot and there to be hit. Rashid Khan clears his front foot to open up the off side and hoist it over and across the line, but slices and swirls it up high in the night sky. West Indian skipper, Rovman Powell from long off runs ahead towards the mid off region and settles underneath it, keeping his eyes on the ball till end, and takes a good catch. West Indies maintain a clean sheet and wrap up the group stage as the table toppers, with four back-to-back commanding victories.

SIX! Cracker of a shot that! Short in length, on the top of the stumps, Rashid Khan reads the length properly, gets in position quickly and pulls it well over deep mid-wicket for a biggie.

Good gas! Steams in from over the wicket, and fires in a fuller length ball, on the middle and leg. Fazalhaq Farooqi backs away and knocks it back to the bowler.

WIDE! Short and just outside the leg stump line, Fazalhaq Farooqi half-ducks at it and leaves.

Short and banged into the pitch, angling into the batter. Farooqi backs away from the line of the ball and tries to escape from it, putting the bat in the air. The ball hits the upper half of the bat and drops to the off side.

Fazalhaq Farooqi is the last man in.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Sensational bowling this! West Indies just a solitary wicket away from a commanding win. Alzarri Joseph cannons a vicious bumper, angling on the bodyline that comes through very quickly. Naveen-ul-Haq is caught up in an awkward position as he looks to eventually duck it but he keeps the bat in the air and the ball takes off the edge, and flies towards the right of Nicholas Pooran who leaps to his left and tumbles with the momentum but keeps the ball in the gloves.

Short of a good length, on off, Rashid Khan drags the pull shot to deep mid-wicket for a single.