Holder, Pooran guide West Indies to series-levelling win against Australia
- Last updated: July 25, 2021 | 17:20
Gulf Today Report
Half-centuries from Jason Holder and Nicholas Pooran in a 93-run partnership guided the West Indies to a series-levelling four-wicket win the second One-Day International (ODI) of the three-match series against Australia at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday.
Replying to the Australi's modest total of 187 all out, the West Indies slipped to 72 for five before Pooran, and former captain Holder, put on 93 for the seventh wicket to tilt the balance of the match decisively in their team's favour.
The home side reached the target at 191 for six with 72 balls to spare. This result sets up on Monday at the same venue as the ODI series decider.
In the second ODI match, the top players of both teams failed, Pooran and Holder lifted the home team from 72- to 165-5 in the 36th, over chasing the tourists' 187.
Holder was out for 52 when the West Indies were just 23 runs from victory and Pooran went on to make an unbeaten 59, which included two huge sixes off spinner Ashton Turner, and guide them to victory with 12 overs remaining.
Pooran was dropped twice, on 26 by Moises Henriques and 49 by Matthew Wade as Australia missed fielding helped the home side to an important win.
The visitors won the first game of the ODI series by 133 runs and the third match will be played on Monday at the same stadium.
Pooran said during the ceremony, for me, it’s just about building a partnership, fighting and finding a way with Jason. We know at night at Kensington it’s a bit tricky. You can’t really drive the ball properly so you just have to find a way and fight, fight, he added.
Earlier, Aussie were also in deep trouble before its ailing innings was revived by the lower order batsmen. At 45-6, Australia were staring at its lowest total in any ODI matach: it was all out for 70 against England in 1977 and for the same total against New Zealand in 1986.