Ton-up Nicholas Pooran (118 off 103 balls) played the innings of his life but Angelo Mathews delivered the ball of the match to get his wicket and help Sri Lanka to a 23-run victory over the West Indies in a thrilling World Cup clash at the Riverside Groun🎶d, Chester-le-Street on Mo꧟nday.
The 339-run chase looked dead and buried in the 35th over when Carlos Brathwaite got out but the 23-year-old Pooran almost single-handedly took his team home. Have to feel for the youngster but had he received some more support from the🌠 other end, the West Indies might have ended on the winning side.
Earlier, Avishka Fernando’s maiden ODI century helped Sri Lanka post 338/6. Fernando scored 104 off 103 balls with the help of nine fours and two sixes.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka: 338/6 in 50 overs (Avishka Fౠernando 104, Kusal Perera 64; Holder 2/59); West Indies: 315/9 in 50 overs (Nicholas Pooran 118, Fabien Allen 51; Lasith Malinga 3/55).
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Loved this fight of the West Indies , they fell short ♏but was a tremendous spirited🦂 chase. Chasing 140 with 4 wickets in hand in 15 overs is never easy but Nicholas Pooran gave SL a run for their money. Congratulations to SL on the win
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif)
Got to l𒆙ove the West Indies. Even when the target is🍃 seemingly beyond reach, they keep going for it.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha)
Unlike India !!!
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan)
I hope we saw the initial maturing of theee fine young cricketers today. Their future succe🌠ss is not guaranteed; but Nicholas Pooran, Fabien Allen & Avishꦇka Fernando showed us that the game has a bright future. WI vs SL.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi)
Congratulations to Sri Lanka on the win. Avishka Fernando played beautifully for his century. A really spirited run-chase by the West Indies. The three run o⛎uts hurt them badly but a wonderful effort from Poor⛄an and Fabian Allen.
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281)
Sixth defeat for the West Indies in . Their worst performance in a ed🙈ition. In the 2007 edition (at home) and they lost five, but won four. In they so far could manage just one win!
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman)
Avishka Fernando (21y 87d)
Nicholas Pooran (23y 272d)This is the first time two players aged less than 25 year🌃s scored centu🦄ries in a World Cup game.
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats)
Great kn🦹ock by .see a bright future for him. Hope Sri Lanka nurtures him
— Hemang Badani (@hemangkbadani)
Congratulations boys. What an inning from young AVISHKA fernando. He delivered ♚at right time. and did wel. Most valuable and most precious over and ball balled by . 🍸simply outstanding.
— Dhammika Prasad (@imDhammika)
Well pla♚yed young man.. Brilliant 100!! Something 𒀰special from Avishka. 👍
— Mahela Jayawardena (@MahelaJay)
