Hit’s journey to his current position – witness his knock against Afghanistan in this year’s T20 World Cup – was marked by the moments he first picked up a cricket bat. “I’ve always had a dream, to be a professional cricketer,” says Nicholas Pooran (who turns 29 this October). “I really knew I was going to play cricket. It’s all I had in my mind: eat cricket, dream cricket, run away from home to play cricket,” he recalls with a laugh.
Quick talent
Pooran’s talent was clear enough for the selectors to fast-track him into the Trinidad & Tobago senior national team at the age of 16; Regional representation soon followed. Then, in the 2014 Men’s U-19 World Cup, he unleashed a boundary-laden 143 runs against Australia. Suddenly, Pooran was the talk of global youth cricket – with relatively little experience in terms of matches played. The world was at his feet.
accident
There is a catalyst for Pooran’s decidedly positive outlook on life – a turning point that brought home the realization that his lifelong dream of cricket (and so much more) could be taken away in an instant.
Driving home after a training session in early 2015, another car hit him – hard. “I woke up from the accident and saw the cast on both legs. The first question I asked was, ‘Can I play cricket again?'” recalls Pooran. “Doctors said this is a difficult question. So I asked if I could run again, and they said maybe – but I won’t be able to bend my left leg 100%. Immediately my blood pressure went up.”
His career on the line and confined to a wheelchair for six months, he found obedience. “My girlfriend — now wife — Alyssa and her sisters-in-law taught me a few things about faith. I began to pray a little more, I began to believe a little more, looking for strength to get through each day. I went back to the hospital and they were surprised that I could bend my leg.
“I woke up from the accident and saw the cast on both legs. The first question I asked was, ‘Can I play cricket again?’
accueil
He took an unorthodox journey back to the top, abandoning the 4-day Caribbean Regional Tournament, opting instead to play in the Bangladesh Premier League. It was shrewd to use the option of franchise-based T20 cricket to position itself in a bigger showcase.
“I played with experienced cricketers and learned different cultures, learned to play in different conditions and that helped me a lot. I didn’t know how long my legs were, how long it would last. It could have gone either way, but I believe everything happens for a reason – we just have to hope it happens for the right reason,” says Pooran.
Queen’s Park Cricket Club was also part of his support network. “After the accident, they welcomed me with open arms,” he says. “[Kieron] Pollard is like an older brother to me, a mentor. Sunil [Narine], [Dwayne] Well done, [Darren] Well done, [Kevon] Cooper played their part.
“When you’re batting, when you’re on the field, there’s someone to talk to. They all made the kind of decisions I’m still making. They want to see me do well, and there’s not a day that goes by that I ask any of these guys for anything and they’re not there for me. And I’m someone who asks a lot of questions, all the time!”
West Indies
Pooran’s One Day International (ODI) debut did not happen until February 2019, in time for that year’s World Cup. Any concerns about the glut of T20 cricket preventing Pooran from suiting up and performing in the 50-over game were quickly dismissed.
A more mature batsman emerged during cricket’s biggest tournament, culminating in his century against Sri Lanka. “Every match I challenged myself to improve. If it didn’t work in one game, then fine, I have a process and I’m working on it.”
By 2021, he was vice-captain of the Windies’ T20 team, stepping up to lead them to a 4–1 series win over Australia. A year later came the natural progression to the captaincy itself, where the pressure took its toll. The team’s poor showing in the 2022 T20 World Cup saw Pooran step down to focus on his batting.
Instead of berating those who would berate the team or his performance, Pooran takes a refreshingly logical approach. “Their job in the stands is to criticize, but if you are doing well, they are with you. You know what your job is in the middle – it’s just unfortunate that your job is on TV! I believe we have the best fans in the world,” he says.
However, it wasn’t always Zen-like focus for him, as a not-so-memorable Caribbean Premier League (CPL) incident shows. “I was 18, playing for Red Steel, and I won a Super Over against Sunil [Narine] … so far I can’t hear the end of this! It’s a tough crowd because they’re passionate.”
CPL talk begs the inevitable question: when will Pooran win the tournament? He has been to two finals with two different teams. He is also yet to win the Indian Premier League, where his clean hitting led to a brilliant 2020 season.
However, there is little sign of any pressure: “I’ve set a standard for myself and if I’m doing that, then I’m good. I will do well if I prepare and execute.”
For 2024, Trinbago Knight Riders will rely on his explosive batting to take them to their fifth CPL title. Pooran is calm and ready.
“I see myself as one of the best white ball players of our generation and to achieve that I have to work hard and take advantage of opportunities,” says Pooran. If that sounds selfish, it is a request for a batsman. But given Pooran’s perspective, it’s also realistic and forever colored by what keeps him going: “You don’t know when is the last chance you’re going to get.”
