His journey to his current position — witness his blitz against Afghanistan at this year’s T20 World Cup — was charted in the moments that he first picked up a cricket bat. “I always had one dream, to be a professional cricketer,” says Nicholas Pooran (who turns 29 this October). “I knew for a fact that I was going to play cricket. It’s all I had on my mind: eating cricket, dreaming cricket, running away from home to play cricket,” he remembers with a laugh.
Fast-tracked talent
Pooran’s talent was clear enough for the selectors to fast-track him into the Trinidad & Tobago national senior team at the age of 16; regional representation soon followed. Then, at the 2014 Under-19 Men’s World Cup, he unleashed a boundary-filled 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.
The accident
There is a catalyst for Pooran’s resolutely positive outlook on life — a turning point that brought home the realisation that his life-long cricket dream (and much more) could be taken away from him in an instant.
Driving home after a training session in early 2015, another car hit him — hard. “I woke from the accident and saw the casts on both legs. The first question I asked is, ‘Could I play cricket again?’” Pooran remembers. “The doctors said that’s a tough question. So, I asked whether I could run again, and they said maybe — but I won’t be able to bend the left leg 100%. Instantly my blood pressure went up.”
His career on the line, and confined to a wheelchair for six months, he found the conviction. “My girlfriend — now wife — Alyssa and her sisters-in-law taught me certain things about faith. I started to pray a little bit more, started to believe a little bit more, asking for the strength to get through each day. I went back to the hospital, and they were surprised that I could bend my leg.”
“I woke from the accident and saw the casts on both legs. The first question I asked is, ‘Could I play cricket again?’”
The comeback
He took an unorthodox journey back to the top, forsaking the Caribbean Regional 4-Day Tournament, deciding instead to play in the Bangladesh Premier League. It was shrewd to use the option of franchise-based T20 cricket to place himself in a bigger shop window.
“I got to play with experienced cricketers and learnt different cultures, learnt to play in different conditions, and that helped so much. I didn’t know how long my legs had, how long it would last. It could’ve 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 also formed part of his support network. “After the accident, they welcomed me with open arms,” he says. “[Kieron] Pollard is like a bigger brother to me, a mentor. Sunil [Narine], [Dwayne] Bravo, [Darren] Bravo, [Kevon] Cooper played their part.
“When you’re batting, when you’re fielding, there’s someone to talk to. They have all made the type of decisions that I’m still making. They want to see me do well, and there’s never a day that I asked any of these guys for anything and they weren’t there for me. And I’m someone that asks a lot of questions, all the time!”
The 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 plethora of T20 cricket preventing Pooran from adapting and performing in the 50-over game were quickly dismissed.
A more mature batsman emerged throughout cricket’s biggest tournament, culminating in his century against Sri Lanka. “Every game, I challenged myself to get better. If it didn’t work in one game then fine, I have a process and I’m working with 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 lacklustre display at the 2022 T20 World Cup saw Pooran stepping down to concentrate on his batting.
Rather than admonish those that would berate his team or his performance, Pooran takes a refreshingly logical approach. “Their job in the stands is to criticise, but if you’re doing well, they are with you. You know what your job is out there in the middle — it’s just unlucky that your job is on TV! I believe that we have the best fans in the world,” he says.
However, it was not always Zen-like concentration for him, as one not so memorable Caribbean Premier League (CPL) incident demonstrates. “I was 18 years old, playing for Red Steel, and batted a Super Over against Sunil [Narine] … up to now I can’t hear the end of that! It’s a tough crowd because they are passionate.”
Talk of CPL brings the inevitable question: when will Pooran win the tournament? He’s been in two finals with two different teams. He’s also yet to win the Indian Premier League, where his clean hitting led to an excellent 2020 season.
However, there’s little sign of any pressure: “I set a standard for myself and if I’m doing that, then I’m fine. I’ll do well if I prepare and execute.”
For 2024, the Trinbago Knight Riders will rely on his explosive batting to take them to a fifth CPL title. Pooran is calm and ready.
“I see myself as one of the best white ball players of our generation, and in order for me to achieve that I have to work hard and take the opportunities,” says Pooran. If that sounds egotistical, it’s a requirement for a batsman. But given Pooran’s outlook, it’s also realistic and forever tinged with what continually drives him forward: “You don’t know when it’s the last opportunity that you are going to get.”