West Indies win final match at World Cup in England and Wales

BY KAYLA KARIM

Both of the teams who sit at the bottom of the league in the World Cup played their final game of the tournament. Afghanistan teenager Ikram Aikhil came within three shots of becoming the first teenager to hit a World Cup century with Rahmat Shah making a half-century of his own. Despite their continuous attempted efforts, it was not enough for Afghanistan as three of the West Indies’ youngest batting talents made half centuries creating the core of their 311 for 6 winning by 23 runs, only their second of the entire tournament. Although Afghanistan had their batsman provide a glimpse of a promising future, with Aikhil reaching 86 and posting the highest score by an 18 year old in World Cup history, they couldn’t reach the target West Indies set earlier in the game.

The highlight of the game was surely the young batsmen who are the future of the West Indies organization. Shai Hope was decisive against spin, stretching right forward to full balls and went down the track to get the ball in his arc, while going right back to the shorter ones. He ended up taking Rashid and Nabi 45 off 45 balls before the off spin-bowling all-rounder.

Nicholas Pooran, one of the other young stars who made an impact throughout the tournament showed once again why selectors made the right decision choosing him regardless of his single ODI experience. He scored 58 off 43 balls but was then dismissed at the start of the last over.

Jason Holder had nothing but praise to give to the young stars of the team.
It’s just a matter for them to grasp batting on the international circuit,” Holder said. “And think Shai has done a reasonable job so far… as well as Nicholas.”

As the West Indies team World Cup run comes to an end for the tournament, a well-known Windies cricketer’s World Cup run will come to a permanent end. Chris Gayle will be playing in his last world cup of his career. Gayle has been featured in five World Cups for West Indies over the course of his career. In 34 total innings Gayle has scored 1186 runs at a strike-rate of 90.53 and an average of 35.93.

“It’s been a privilege and an honour to represent the West Indies in five World Cups. I’ll still be around. The World Cup wasn’t the one I wanted from a personal point of view. It is my definitely my last World Cup. Life goes on. Words can’t express what I’m feeling right now.” Chris Gayle said that he would have loved to lift the trophy. Although it didn’t happen, it was fun and he enjoyed it.

After forty-two games played in the tournament thus far, three matches are left before the semi-finals commence in Manchester on July 9^th 2019.