No need to panic

DWAYNE Bravo, the injured captain of the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) cricket team, is telling fans there is no need to panic.

After TKR suffered its third loss in the last four games, fans have been getting anxious about what they perceive as a downward slide, and raising questions as to the chances of the team retaining its title in the Hero Caribbean Premier League tournament.

When Newsday caught up with Bravo yesterday, at the launch of his djbravo 47 charity white party launch, held at the Guardian Life Box, in the Queen’s Park Oval, he said, “I wouldn’t say there is a slide going on. TKR is in a good position. One we’ve already qualified for the playoffs.”

He added, “When you enter a tournament, the first objective is to get into the playoffs. When you achieve that, the next objective is to see who you have to play in the playoffs, so there is no slide. You win games, you lose games. Yes, Guyana at the moment is the only team unbeaten, but that doesn’t mean to say they will be champions.”

Bravo said the Guyana Amazon Warriors still have to go through the playoffs and the final before they can be determined the champions.

“So it’s too early, there is no one crowned champion as yet. I think Knight Riders have a very good squad and a very well experienced team to bounce back from what we are going through at the moment. So there is no slide, no need to panic.”

Bravo was thankful for the support of fans, saying the team loves it and is encouraging them to come out in their numbers again today for the side’s penultimate match before the playoffs.

Asked if he thinks TKR can successfully defend the title, Bravo said, ”Yes, definitely we can defend our title and as I said, we have the players who can do that.

“But having said that, we also have to give respect to other teams who are playing well, and who also are allowed to play well and do well.

“Again, it’s a tournament, it’s sports. Yes, we are favourites, but that doesn’t mean favourites (are) 100 per cent going to win. We have to take it game by game and whichever team plays best in the later stages in the finals and win, then they deserve to win.”

While Bravo will be out for another two months before he can resume playing, TKR is being led by Kieron Pollard. Bravo explained “It’s a bad injury that I got. I had surgery. I’m now in the recovery stage of it and it’s sad that I have to miss this entire tournament, but it’s part of being an athlete. “This is my fourth surgery so I’m just looking forward to my return when the time comes.”

Bravo said he will be travelling with the TKR tomorrow and will be with the team until the tournament is finished, until TKR gets knocked out – or until the team wins the final.