Pooran happy long wait for second ODI hundred has ended
HARARE, Zimbabwe, (CMC) – West Indies batsman Nicholas Pooran was relieved to get his second One Day International (ODI) hundred against Nepal in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe on Thursday.
Pooran cracked a sparkling 115 off 94 balls that included 10 fours and four sixes and shared the second highest fourth wicket stand for the Caribbean with his captain Shai Hope to help them clinch their second win of the Qualifier in Group A.
Pooran was happy that he could end his four-year wait for another ODI hundred after he notched his maiden against Sri Lanka during CWC 2019 England and Wales in Chester-le-Street.
“It’s one that the team needed, and I am happy that I was there and I could contribute and I could raise both hands at the end,” he told CWI Media in a post-play interview.
Pooran said the partnership with Hope was crucial after West Indies ran into problems on 55 for three in the 16th over and praised the batting of the captain in holding things together.
“You know for the last couple years, Shai has been that that batsman in ODI cricket for us and we depend on him heavily,” Pooran said. “He knows that. Everyone knows that. I’m happy that he’s there performing when we need him the most.”
The Windies were a bit untidy in the field, dropping a few catches and misfielding a few balls, and it is an area that Pooran said they will need to clean up if they are to continue getting positive results.
“We just need to be hungry. Simple as that,” he said.
“We are international team and we need to play like an international team.
“It’s a really good [pitch], and I think the bowlers are doing a really good job, and we as fielders owe it to the bowlers to take those catches – whether it’s easy, whether it’s hard. We need to be professional, and we need to be hungry in the field,” he added.
Pooran said he was looking forward to the next match and trying to win for the third match in a row against hosts Zimbabwe.
The win against the Nepalese moved West Indies in front of the Zimbabweans on net run rate at the top of the standings in Group A and a win on Sunday will clinch them a place in the Super Six stage.
