Twitter Reactions: Nicholas Pooran gives Guyana Amazon Warriors all-important win over Jamaica Tallawahs

The Guyana Amazon Warriors are well and truly in contention to qualify for the playoffs in the 2021 edition of the CPL. In their previous game, they beat the Jamaica Tallawahs by 46 runs at the Warner Park in St Kitts. Meanwhile, the loss has left the Tallawahs in a must-win scenario for the last game.

Pooran guides the Warriors

After batting first, the Warriors amassed a massive score of 169 in their 20 overs. Brandon King, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Shimron Hetmyer and Shoaib Malik got into double digits, but all of them got out. However, Nicholas Pooran was in no mood to die wondering with the bat.

The Warriors’ skipper scored a sparkling 39-ball 75 and stayed unbeaten until the very end. His knock was laced with four fours and as many as seven sixes. For the Tallawahs, Andre Russell picked up two wickets and Chris Green bowled at an economy rate of 4.25 in four overs.

Tallawahs crumble under pressure

In the run-chase, all five of the Tallawahs’ top five batters got into double figures. However, no one could make their starts count. Haider Ali smashed three fours and looked to be returning to form, but Odean Smith cut short his stay in the middle in the ninth over of the chase.

Smith also delivered the body blow after he pinned Russell for a five-ball duck. The likes of Carlos Brathwaite and Imad Wasim fell cheaply as the Tallawahs were shot out for 123. Gudakesh Motie and Smith picked up three wickets each. Naveen-ul-Haq got two wickets.

It was just about assessing really fast: Nicholas Pooran

After the Warriors won, Pooran talked about how he approached his knock and got the Warriors’ score to some sort of respectability. Rovman Powell, the Tallawahs’ skipper, was a tad dejected after his team’s batting flattered to deceive.

“I know I was due and there was no better opportunity for me. I was looking forward to a big score today. (On rotating his bowlers) It was just about assessing really fast. I batted a little while there so I understood the surface. I knew it would be difficult with the new ball, but for the spinners it was easier,” Pooran was quoted as saying.

“Our batting in the middle overs led to our downfall, if we had batted better in the middle overs, we might have made a better game out of it. I am just not carrying on. I am getting some scores here and there but just not carrying on for a big one,” Powell said.

Here’s how the netizens reacted to the Warriors’ win: