WI hoping to turn corner on poor run
SHARJAH, UAE (CMC): ON THE heels of an embarrassing whitewash in the preceding Twenty20 series, West Indies’ three-match one-day international (ODI) series against Pakistan will take on new value when it bowls off here today at 6 a.m. (Jamaica time)
The reigning T20 World champions showed little of their usual swagger as they suffered heavy defeats in every game, and with the tour quickly going horribly wrong, it will be left to the ODI side to arrest the slide, especially with the Test series following.
West Indies’ batting looked a shadow of the fearsome machine it has become in recent years as it stumbled and stuttered on slow pitches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and against both pace and spin.
However, ODI captain Jason Holder said he expected a different approach from his side in the 50overs format, as batsmen would have the benefit of time on their side to explore the Pakistan attack.
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“You have more time. It’s 300 balls in one-day cricket, whereas in T20s, there are less balls,” he told reporters here yesterday.
Holder is also confident that the West Indies’ fortunes can turn around with the several changes made to the ODI side.
He welcomes the experienced quartet of wicketkeeper-batsman Denesh Ramdin, left-hander Darren Bravo, left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn and Test vice-captain, Kraigg Brathwaite – though the latter is yet to play an ODI.
Off-spinner Ashley Nurse, another seasoned campaigner in domestic cricket, has also joined the squad along with talented 19-year-old fast bowler Alzarri Joseph and experienced lefthander Jonathan Carter.
The Windies, with the same core of players, were good enough to reach the final of the Tri-Nations Series involving Australia and South Africa back in June in the Caribbean.
The last time the two teams met in an ODI, West Indies inflicted a heavy defeat on the Asian side, with a 150-run victory during last year’s Cricket World Cup.
However, West Indies have not beaten Pakistan in a bilateral series in 24 years, a disappointing trend which the Caribbean side will be hoping to end.
Holder said West Indies were looking at different aspects of their game – especially the death stages of the innings – during planning sessions and were focussed now on executing properly.
“We’ve obviously mentioned the death overs in our meetings. If it is one area we need to pay special attention to, it is obviously the death,” Holder noted.