'Giant' Rahkeem Cornwall Achieves Massive Feat For West Indies In Lucknow Test Vs Afghanistan

Rahkeem Cornwall had already made a massive impression during his debut Test against India in September. Weighing at 140 kg and standing six foot five inches tall, Cornwall is indeed the Big Show of world cricket. Cornwall became the heaviest Test cricketer after he made his debut at Sabina Park and in his third over, he got the massive wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara for 6. However, in the one-off Test between Afghanistan and West Indies at the Ekana stadium in Lucknow, Cornwall created another slice of history.

The offspinner took 10/121, including 7/75 in the first innings against Afghanistan as West Indies won the match by nine wickets. Cornwall was the star as his haul resulted in Afghanistan losing nine wickets for 103 runs in the first innings. In the second innings, Cornwall was assisted by Roston Chase and Jason Holder as Afghanistan folded up for 120. Shamarh Brooks' 111 gave West Indies a 90-run lead and they knocked off the target with ease.

In the process of his maiden 10-wicket haul, Cornwall became the fourth West Indies bowler to take a 10-wicket haul in a Test in Asia. Wes Hall was the first Windies bowler to take a 10-wicket haul in Asia when he took 11 wickets against India in the Kanpur Test in 1958. Andy Roberts holds the record for the best match figures by a West Indies bowler in Asia when he took 12/121 in the Chennai Test in 1975. Despite the haul, India managed to win the match by 100 runs as the five-match series ended in a 2-2 draw. Recently, legspinner Devendra Bishoo took the best individual haul as he took 8/49 in the Dubai Pink Ball Test against Pakistan in 2016.

Cornwall had a career-best haul of 8/108 in First Class cricket and in the 2018/19 WICB Professional Cricket League's regional four-day tournament, Cornwall took 54 wickets in nine games at an average of 17 with three five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul. Cornwall's contribution will go a long way in ending West Indies' search for a quality spinner in their ranks as they prepare for tougher challenges ahead. It has been a mixed series for the West Indies against Afghanistan.

Also Read | Who is Rahkeem Cornwall - The six foot five, 140 kgs giant of Windies Test team?

After sweeping the ODIs 3-0, they lost the Twenty20 Internationals 1-2 before winning the Test which is not part of the ICC World Test Championship. West Indies will now take on India for three ODIs and three T20Is.

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