Seventeen-year-old Nicholas Pooran is busy working on achieving a career breakthrough even at his young age.
His immediate target is representing Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel at the inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League alongside cricket talents such as fellow Trinidadian Dwayne Bravo and franchise player Ross Taylor.
“Any 17-year-old who has been given an opportunity such as this would grasp it with both hands and that’s what I plan to do,” says the ambitious young wicketkeeper/batsman.
Although he is the youngest player in the tournament, Pooran is no stranger to regional competition. He has represented his country in the Regional Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 competitions.
He also emerged from the 2012 Under-19 competition in Barbados as the leading glove man, snaring 14 dismissals in five matches during the three-day format.
More importantly, Pooran announced his arrival on the senior stage earlier this year with an unbeaten 33 on his Regional Super50 debut for Trinidad and Tobago in a 14-run victory over Windward Islands, and while he had only meagre returns in his remaining three games, his promise remained evident.
Commenting on this remarkable young man, David Williams, assistant coach for the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel team said, “. . . he is a tremendous player. He is also a very young man, so I think we would want to watch him closely, and make sure he does the right things. With that talent, [I am sure] he has places to go.”
This Naparima College student, who plays for Clarke Road United in the domestic Premier League, understands the expectations that he has to live up to and does not plan to disappoint.
“I want to prove to people that the selectors have made a right decision in picking me.” (CPL)
