Windies focused on WCup qualification says Miller

HARARE, Zimbabwe (CMC:) NIKITA MILLER said getting to the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup in England and Wales was the main objective of West Indies above anything else.

The left-arm spinner was speaking following his destructive spell against the United Arab Emirates which earned the Windies a 32-run victory on Thursday in their final warm-up match ahead of the start of the ICC World Cup qualifiers.

“The main goal is to get to the World Cup,” he said. “We need to apply ourselves and get fully ready for that opening match (on Tuesday).

“We have some very experienced players who have played a lot of international cricket and have seen many situations in the game, so we will be ready for whatever is thrown at us.

“We will have to play to our strengths and draw on our experience. I made my debut 10 years ago, and I have played a lot of cricket. I’m not thinking about myself, but I’m thinking about the team in every situation.”

Miller warmed up with a spell of 5-20 from his allotted 10 overs as the UAE were dismissed for 83 after Windies were bowled out 115 on a surface offering generous turn to the slow bowlers.

“It was a good day for me,” he said. “I got five wickets at a crucial stage in the match and did what was required by the team.”

He added: “We didn’t go so well in the first warm-up match against Afghanistan, which didn’t go according to plan, so we had to get things together.

Jason Holder’s side faces the same opponents on Tuesday in the opening match of the competition at the Old Hararians.