World Cup 2015: Holder rips through UAE as West Indies cruise to quarter-final

The West Indies made the World Cup quarter-final after overpowering the United Arab Emirates by six wickets in their last Pool B match on Sunday.

They reached their victory target of 176 runs in just 30.3 overs in Napier. After a laboured performance in the field in the must-win match, the West Indies picked up the intensity when batting, as the storm clouds on the fringes of Cyclone Pam edged towards McLean Park.

A washout would have ended their World Cup campaign but the weather held off and the West Indies got the win they needed.

Charles, making his first World Cup appearance after being brought in as an injury replacement for Darren Bravo, was thrust into the starting XI at the last minute when Chris Gayle pulled out with a back injury.

But there was no sign of rustiness as he and fellow opener Dwayne Smith launched into Nasir Aziz when UAE skipper Mohammad Tauqir decided his batting hero should opening the bowling with a touch of spin.

Charles’s cavalier innings ended on 55 off 40 deliveries and Andre Russell added seven before Carter (50 not out) and Denesh Ramdin (33 not out) saw the West Indies to a comfortable victory.

Charles, who hit nine fours and two sixes, was undone when he mistimed an attempt to drive Amjad Javed and skied the ball to Krishna Chandran at mid-on.

The wicket capped a solid all-round game for Javed, who took 2/29. He’d earlier featured in a 107-run stand with Aziz that frustrated the West Indies after the Middle East amateurs had been reduced to 46 for six.

Gayle’s absence made the option of batting first and piling up a huge total a less attractive option for the West Indies.

Holder took the the alternative route when he chose to field first after winning the toss in the hope of bowling out the UAE cheaply.