SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates, CMC – West Indies left-hander Nicholas Pooran extended his rich run of form with another half-century as he fired Northern Warriors to an eight-wicket win over Maratha Arabians in the T20 League here yesterday.
Chasing 95 for victory at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Warriors got home with 11 balls to spare, with Pooran blasting 62 from just 24 deliveries in a Man-of-the-Match performance.
The 23-year-old belted four fours and half-dozen sixes as he raced to his half-century off a mere 18 deliveries.
Along the way, he dominated a 73-run stand off 31 balls with fellow Trinidadian Lendl Simmons who finished unbeaten on 16 from 11 deliveries.
When Pooran fell in the sixth over, West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell arrived to thrash two sixes in 15 which helped Warriors speed to their target.
Earlier, Afghan left-hander Najibullah Zadran top-scored with 27 from nine balls as Arabian reached 94 for six in a match reduced to nine overs per side.
Pooran’s half-century was his second successive following his 77 off 25 balls in Warriors’ 99-run hammering of Punjabi Legends last Friday.
On Saturday, out-of-favour West Indies T20 specialist Andre Fletcher blasted an unbeaten 68 off 29 balls as Pakhtoons defeated Sindhis by eight runs.
Sent in, Pakhtoons rallied to 137 for six off their 10 overs with the right-handed Fletcher punching half-dozen fours and five sixes in an enterprising innings.
He put on 63 off 28 balls for the second wicket with Afghanistan’s Shafiqullah before adding a further 46 for the fourth wicket with England’s Liam Dawson (2).
Barbadian fast bowler Jofra Archer claimed two for 27.
In reply, Sindhis were restricted to 129 for eight off their allotted overs, despite Thisara Perera’s 13-ball 47, which included seven sixes.
In Saturday’s other match, off-spinner Sunil Narine captured two wickets for Bengal Tigers but his West Indies and Trinidad and Tobago teammate, Evin Lewis, failed to score for Legends, as Tigers won by six wickets.
