West Indies batters broke the shackles of Guyana and Trinidad in Saint Lucia as they came out all guns blazing in the final Group C match in the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup on Monday, June 17 (local time). Johnson Charles and Nicholas Pooran dismissed Afghanistan bowlers from their presence using a terrific batting surface at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet to their advantage. West Indies equalled the record for most runs in an over in T20 World Cup as they got 36 runs off the fourth over bowled by Azmatullah Omarzai.
This is the fifth time in T20Is when 36 runs have been scored in an over while this is only the second time in T20 World Cup after Yuvraj Singh's blast in the inaugural edition against England in Durban. Omarzai bowled a no-ball, bowled five wides and was taken for three sixes and a couple of fours by Nicholas Pooran while one of the eight deliveries went for four leg-byes. The waywardness of Omarzai combined with a belligerent Pooran meant Afghanistan, who had been brilliant with the ball prior to the match in the tournament were taken apart by the co-hosts.
Most runs in an over in T20 World Cup
36 runs (6,6,6,6,6,6) - Yuvraj Singh vs Stuart Broad (IND vs ENG), Durban 2007
36 runs (6,4nb,5wd,0,LB4,4,6,6) - Nicholas Pooran vs Azmatullah Omarzai (WI vs AFG), St Lucia 2024
33 runs (wd,6,4,wd,nb,1nb,6,wd,1,6,4) - Andries Gous and Aaron Jones vs Jeremy Gordon (USA vs CAN), Dallas 2024
32 runs (4,W,6nb,1nb,6,6,6,1) - Luke Wright, Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow vs Izatullah Dawlatzai (ENG vs AFG), Colombo 2012
30 runs (4,1,4,6,6,4nb,4) - Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell vs Bilawal Bhatti (AUS vs PAK), Dhaka 2014
Afghanistan had won the toss and opted to field first in an inconsequential game but the West Indies were really up to the task.