Two-time champion West Indies rebounded from their opening losses at the Twenty20 World Cup with emphatic victories on Wednesday to open up Group B.
Later in the night game, fast bowler Alzarri Joseph picked up 4-16 and led West Indies to a 31-run win over Zimbabwe, which was bowled out for 122 with 10 balls to spare.
West Indian batters somehow managed to touch the 150-run mark after captain Nicholas Pooran won the toss and chose to bat at the Bellerive Oval today.
Opening batter Johnson Charles top-scored with 45 off 36 balls before West Indies lost wickets in cluster and slipped to 101-6 in 14 overs.
West Indies was going along nicely at 90-2 before it lost four wickets within two overs.
Captain Nicholas Pooran gave a tame return catch to Sean Williams and three balls later Charles was run out.
Speaking to the post-match presentation ceremony, Pooran revealed having a conversation with the team on the eve of the recently concluded match.
“We spoke yesterday and had to be responsible as a batting group. Enough is enough. We have been failing in the middle overs. We tried to be a bit conservative in the middle overs,” Pooran said after the match.
“Akeal and Rovman put in that partnership at the end. Mayers is the one who can actually swing the ball. Unfortunately, he didn’t get it right. But we back him. We are learning together and that’s what’s important. He’s the most experienced bowler we have here (Holder). Joseph, not only now, but since the beginning of the year. It’s exciting times for WI cricket. They’re young players.”
The 27-year-old player further explained that his batters were being conservative in order to put together vital partnerships in the middle.
Pooran, admitted a personal dip in form of late whilst remaining positive.
“I’m working really hard day in and day out. It isn’t happening for me. Everything happens for a reason,” Pooran said.
Pooran, who has returned with single-digit scores six times in his last 10 T20I innings, has scored a total of 95 runs at a strike rate of 110.46 in this period.