World Cup Social Pavilion: Two maiden centuries and Rihanna liven up a dead rubber

Just when we thought that the West Indies couldn’t get any more unpredictable, they spring a surprise. Nicholas Pooran lives up to the occasion and almost does it for the West Indies. ALMOST. Sri Lanka were off to a terrific start courtesy their openers but it was Avishka Fernando who lit up the Sri Lankan Innings with his maiden century.

🙌 when you're the youngest player to make a century for your country in a World Cup!

How good was Avishka Fernando today?!#CWC19 | #SLvWI | #LionsRoar | #MenInMaroon pic.twitter.com/rGhezTH7Lp

— ICC (@ICC) July 1, 2019

Sri Lanka posted a score of 338 for the loss of six wickets. West Indies kept losing wickets at regular intervals and lost the plot early on but found an unlikely hero in Nicholas Pooran. Pooran walked in when the West Indies were struggling at 71 for the loss of three wickets and lost Hetmyer soon after. Fabian Allen ably supporting him in an 83 run partnership for the seventh wicket. Pooran was eventually dismissed in the 48^th over and West Indies fell short by 23 runs. Both Avishka Fernando and Nicholas Pooran notched up their maiden centuries, the former ending on the winning side.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Maiden ODI Century for Nicholas Pooran! Well deserved @nicholaspooran . Will this be a successful run chase for the #MenInMaroon ?? #SLvWI #MenInMaroon #CWC19 #ItsOurGame A post shared by WINDIES Cricket (@windiescricket) on Jul 1, 2019 at 10:43am PDT

Sri Lanka fans were ecstatic after the win. This might mean very little for them in the semifinals race but they’re still hoping for a miracle in the run-up for a spot in the knockouts.

 The West Indies were visited by one of their most decorated fans. Pop singer Rihanna dropped by at Chester-Le Street to watch her team play. She also happens to be a former classmate of Carlos Braithwaite and the West Indies’ assistant coach Roddy Estwick happens to be her first physical education teacher.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

reppin and the whole #WestIndies A post shared by badgalriri (@badgalriri) on Jul 1, 2019 at 6:52pm PDT

The Barbadian singer met Estwick, the West Indies’ assistant coach and her school teacher after the match.

.@Rihanna gets emotional after reuniting with her old teacher at the Cricket World Cup in England. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/LAzB0H1LsC — Pop Crave (@PopCrave) July 2, 2019

And everyone joined in to meet the pop sensation. 

Sri Lankan Cricket legend @KumarSanga2 with Pop legend @rihanna at #CWC2019 #Cricket pic.twitter.com/y2asrPAuZg — Azzam Ameen (@AzzamAmeen) July 1, 2019

Afterwards, the singer graced the West Indies' dressing room where she met, among others, the Universe Boss.

For all the latest news, opinions and analysis from ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, click here