Nicholas Pooran will surely thank his stars after the maiden international fifty in Chennai

Nicholas Pooran made a mark on November 11 when he slammed his maiden half-century in T20Is, the only international format he has played so far, in the final game of the series against India. Though the Windies lost the match, Pooran’s knock off only 25 balls that included four sixes was something special for a player who would thank his destiny for allowing him to remain a cricketer. Reason: A life-threatening road accident in Trinidad three years ago.

Pooran, a 23-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman from Trinidad, sustained injuries to his knees and ankle, has all the ingredients in him to become an effective cog in the machine for the resurgent Caribbeans in international cricket. He has played only five T20Is so far after making his debut against Pakistan in September 2016 and of those, two were played in the just concluded series. Pooran has a long way to go but his smart batting skills have made him a player with a strong potential. His capacity to hit big in switch shots has particularly made him an exciting talent on whom the Windies can bank on.

“As Caribbean people, we are very expressive, very positive and very emotional. And when we can channel our emotions, our expressions, our intent in a positive manner for long enough, then our good skills come to each and every person in the squad,” Windies skipper Carlos Brathwaite said after the third T20I played in Chennai.

‘Wasn’t just big hitting’

Speaking on Pooran’s batting, Brathwaite said, “I want you to realise it wasn’t just his big hitting. He played some reverse scoops and he paced his innings very well. Obviously, the sixes will take the highlight, but let’s not forget how slowly he started. Getting the pace of the wicket, lining up the bowlers and then choosing the right time to strike.”

The Windies, who won the World T20 title in India two years ago, failed to win a single match in the T20I series against India and overall, they could win just one match in the series – an ODI in Pune. The team, however, saw good individual performances from players like Oshane Thomas, Shai Hope and Pooran and they could serve this team for a long time to come.

[interaction id=”5bea2e90e0fa026ce964ca94″]