MI New York win inaugural MLC: Pollard lauds centurion Pooran; says good for West Indies cricket (WATCH)
In a jaw-dropping display of aggressive batting, Nicholas Pooran, the stand-in captain of MI New York, struck a remarkable 40-ball hundred in the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2023 final against the Seattle Orcas at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas.
FollowIn the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2023 final held at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, MI New York's stand-in captain Nicholas Pooran put on a spectacular display of aggressive batting, scoring a blazing 40-ball hundred against the Seattle Orcas on Sunday.
Chasing a challenging target of 184 runs for the inaugural MLC title, Pooran entered the crease at number three after opener Steven Taylor departed for a three-ball duck. From the outset, Pooran took charge of the game, smashing a remarkable 16-ball half-century and then continued his onslaught with towering sixes. His incredible performance made him only the second batsman to achieve a hundred in the tournament.
With a scintillating knock of 137 not out off just 55 deliveries, which included 13 sixes and 10 fours, Pooran scripted the second-highest score by a captain batting second in T20 cricket.
The 27-year-old cricketer took over the leadership duties for the team during the tournament due to Kieron Pollard's injury, and he seized the opportunity with both hands. Pooran's century is now the third-quickest by a West Indian in T20 cricket, following Chris Gayle's 30-ball hundred for Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2013 and Johnson Charles' 39-ball ton for West Indies earlier in the same year in South Africa.
Throughout his impressive T20 career spanning 277 matches, Pooran has accumulated nearly 5500 runs, boasting two centuries and 29 half-centuries. His exceptional talent and commanding leadership have made him a prominent force in the world of cricket.
Kieron Pollard was happy with his team's performance and lots of praise for Pooran
"Very special. Congratulations and kudos to the guys on the cricket field. They took the team from Eliminator to the final. The way we won today, I couldn't be more proud. (On Pooran) Very special, this is something that's been brewing for some time. Sometimes it hurts me not to see him much in the international arena. He's a talent and he's someone that we need in the Caribbean. Congratulations to him, congratulations to the team, the support staff and the entire MI family. It's about belief, and the 'never say die' attitude that we have. We believe in our players and that augurs well for us. In the nine trophies, I have been part of all of them. Even women's (WPL), I was there for the final. We are going to raise the bar in franchise cricket. Thanking you (fans) for coming out and supporting today. This was the home ground of TSK but we painted blue today. They were fantastic throughout the tournament. Hopefully we can see you all next year as well." said Pollard.
