KINGSTON (CMC):
Rovman Powell entered the record books on Saturday night, becoming the all-time leading run scorer for the West Indies in T20 international cricket.
Yet, the milestone arrived in the bittersweet shadow of a defeat, as Sri Lanka levelled the three-match series 1-1, setting up a thrilling decider at the iconic venue.
Powell, who now has 2,314 runs in the format, overtook Trinidadian Nicholas Pooran, 2,275, with a typically powerful knock after top-scoring with 43 for the regional side.
But his heroics weren’t enough to stop Sri Lanka from claiming a commanding victory by 37 runs in the second T20.
Reflecting on his record after the match, Powell allowed himself a moment of pride amid the disappointment.
“It feels good. It’s a boy’s dream to play for the West Indies,” Powell said. “I never knew I would play for the West Indies for the last 10 years or so. So it’s definitely something that I’ve dreamt about. To be able to score the most runs for the West Indies at this point is a very good feeling.”
However, his tone quickly shifted to business as he dissected a lacklustre performance in the field and with the bat.
“Not the result that we wanted,” Powell admitted. “We realised we didn’t have a good day out with the ball. It’s not a 190-run wicket. If they had gotten 170, 165, it could have been a West Indies win.”
He was equally critical of his batting unit, which spluttered under pressure. “As a batting group, we did not bat properly. We lost wickets in clusters. So there are a few things that we can work on for the final.”
Powell insisted there is room for improvement in all three departments.
Powell made an impassioned plea to Jamaican fans, who turned out in healthy numbers for the second match.
“I really believe that Jamaicans love cricket, so it’s nice to see them coming out and rallying around us,” he said.
