The West Indies are headed to the T20 World Cup in scorching form.

Led by scintillating half-centuries from Nicholas Pooran and captain Rovman Powell, and a brutal display of power hitting by Sherfane Rutherford, the Windies thumped an undermanned Australia by 35 runs in their lone warmup match at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad.

Australia fielded only nine players, similarly to what they did two days ago against Namibia, with chairman of selectors George Bailey alongside assistant coaches Brad Hodge and Andre Borovec fielding at various stages.

It marked the fourth consecutive T20 victory for the West Indies, following their 3-0 series win over South Africa, as they seek to become the first country to win the T20 World Cup three times and on home soil.

Pooran thumped 75 runs from just 25 balls with five fours and an amazing eight sixes, Powell smashed 52 from 25 balls with four fours and four sixes, while Rutherford anchored the innings with a swashbuckling 47 from 18 balls, inclusive of four boundaries and four sixes, to help the home side post a mammoth 257-4 from their 20 overs.

No Australian bowler was spared, with off-spinner Tim David’s economy rate of 10.00 being the best of the five bowlers used.

Adam Zampa picked up two wickets but leaked 62 runs from his four overs, while Ashton Agar (1-58) and David (1-40), each claimed a wicket.

At one stage, Australia seemed on track to challenge the competitive total when Josh Inglis, who topscored with 55 from 30 balls and David, who made 25, were at the crease in a 53-run partnership that had them 113-3 in the 10th over.

But once West Indies left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie accounted for both batsmen, Australia’s middle order crumbled and they eventually finished on 222-7 off their allotted 20 overs.

Motie was the pick of the Windies’ bowlers with 2-31 from his four overs, while Alzarri Joseph grabbed 2-44.

Openers Shai Hope and Johnson Charles gave the home side a blazing start, adding 38 runs in under three overs, before Agar dismissed Hope for 14.

His dismissal brought Pooran to the crease, and he wasted little time in unleashing his fury by hoisting Agar over long off for a huge six in his first ball faced.

Nathan Ellis was then belted for two consecutive sixes over midwicket by Pooran, much to the delight of the large crowd on hand.

Together Pooran and Charles put on 90 runs from just 39 balls, to propel the West Indies to 128-2 in the 10th over.

Zampa eventually dismissed Pooran, but that did little to stem the flow of runs as Powell continued where he left off.

He and Charles added a further 44 runs for the third wicket, before the latter was dimissed for 40 from 31 balls, inclusive of six boundaries.

And even when Powell was dismissed just after reaching his half-century, the carnage didn’t stop, as Shimron Hetmyer (18 not out) and Rutherford blasted 63 runs from the last five overs.

In their chase, Australia got off to a fast start, but pacer Shamar Joseph rocked David Warner’s off stump to leave them 23-1 in the second over and Joseph dismissed skipper Mitchell Marsh for just four as they stuttered to 41-2 in the fourth over.

Obed McCoy made it 60-3 when he accounted for the wicket of Agar.

The Aussies made a game of it when Inglis and David were at the crease, but their dismissals signaled the end of any fightback. (RB)

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