Khan ready to bring Super50 title home

TT Red Force captain Imran Khan is ready to undo the failure of last season and bring the Colonial Medical Insurance Super50 Cup home. In his first stint as captain, Khan led the team to seven wins and one loss, topping Zone B and setting up the semis against Leeward Islands Hurricanes, on Friday at the Queen’s Park Oval from 1.15pm. Red Force last won the tournament in 2015, but went out in the semis last year to eventual winners Combined Campuses and Colleges, despite boasting a very strong team.

“Last year, we didn’t go all the way with all the big guys available but this set of players are hungry for success, so I think we are in a good frame of mind. We are confident but we are not going to take anyone for granted and take each game at a time and stick to our game plan and keep training hard,” Khan said after a ten-wicket win over West Indies Emerging Players. Red Force bowled their opponents out for 78 and coasted home in under 20 overs. Jeremy Solozano made 43 and Keagan Simmons 27, with Khan hinting the youngsters could carry on after finally giving the top-order an impressive start.

“It is pleasing to see the younger players in the team doing well and it will give the selection panel something to think about going into the semi-final,” he said. Khan also referenced man-of-the-match Anderson Phillip (who took three for 23) as someone to watch out for. Regarding his squad becoming too over-confident, the captain made it clear this wasn’t the perfect game.

“I think the players are level-headed and know they have to keep improving day by day and train harder. I wouldn’t say it was the perfect game but the guys stuck to the plan and executed. Bowling them out for 78 was good from the bowlers and finishing the game without losing a wicket was really good. We didn’t expect to bowl them out for 78 but well done to the guys for sticking to the bowling plan,” Khan said.

The leg-spinner said there were no injuries and everyone was fit and ready to go. As for improvements, Khan mentioned the fielding needed upgrading but they were ready for the challenge. “It is cricket and anything can happen. We have been playing good cricket. We have not been perfect but we had some key moments that we have won and that is really important for us as a team and if we stick together and play as a team we will be successful,” he concluded.