In the third match of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2024, fans were treated to a spectacular display of power-hitting that will be remembered for years to come. West Indies’ wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran, representing the Trinbago Knight Riders, unleashed an astonishing batting assault against the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, lighting up the stadium with a sensational innings of 97 runs off just 43 balls. Pooran’s explosive knock, punctuated by 9 towering sixes and 7 fours, left the crowd in awe and earned him the Player of the Match award.
Nicholas Pooran’s unstoppable onslaught
Pooran’s innings was a masterclass in T20 batting, with a strike rate of 225.58 that saw him dominate the SNP bowlers from the outset. His powerful hitting helped propel the Trinbago Knight Riders to a mammoth total of 250/4 in their allotted 20 overs, setting a daunting target of 251 for the Patriots.
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🚨 🅁🄴🄲🄾🅁🄳 🄰🄻🄴🅁🅃 🚨
On his way to a whirlwind 97, @nicholas_47 broke the record for the most T20 6️⃣s in a calendar year! 🔥
The West Indian now has 139 6️⃣s to his name with 4 months still to go in 2024! 🤯#CPLonFanCode pic.twitter.com/EKXPqPhkgp
— FanCode (@FanCode) September 1, 2024
Also READ: CPL 2024: West Indies superstar announces T20 retirement
Trinbago Knight Riders’ mammoth total
While Pooran narrowly missed out on a well-deserved century, his efforts were the cornerstone of a commanding team performance. He was well supported by Keacy Carty, who played an equally impressive knock of 73 runs off just 35 balls. Carty’s innings included 9 fours and 3 sixes, showcasing his own aggressive flair with a strike rate of 208.57. All-rounder Sunil Narine also made a valuable contribution, smashing 38 runs off 19 balls to keep the momentum going for TKR.
In response, the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots showed a fight but fell short, finishing their innings at 206/8 after 20 overs. Despite valiant efforts from Mikyle Louis, who scored 56 runs off 38 balls, and South African batter Tristan Stubbs, who contributed a quickfire 39 from just 19 deliveries, the Patriots were unable to chase down the massive total. Their batters struggled to keep up with the required run rate, and ultimately, Trinbago Knight Riders emerged victorious by 44 runs.
With this win, the Knight Riders have made a strong start in the CPL 2024, while the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots will need to regroup after falling short despite a spirited chase.
