Patience will be the key to WI success

WEST Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite said his players are ready for the task of playing Bangladesh, but knows the tour will be a tough one.

Part of the West Indies travelling contingent left on Thursday and the final group left from Barbados on Friday night, including newly appointed Test captain Brathwaite. The experienced Test opener expressed confidence that the team will perform well in Bangladesh’s home conditions.

Speaking with Cricket West Indies, Brathwaite said, “We are all up for the challenge…it will be a tough series in Bangladesh but we have confidence and we have belief that we will do very well. We have some members of the squad who will be playing there for the first time so it will be something new to them, but they know they have the talent and are capable of performing at this level.”

Brathwaite has scored three of his eight Test centuries against Bangladesh. He made a career-best 212 in 2014 and had scores of 121 and 110 in the two-match rubber three years ago.

He added, “It’s about being very clear in our plans, whether when we’re batting or when we’re bowling. We have to know how we want to play…how we are going to score our runs and how we are going to look for our wickets. Patience will be the key. It’s always very important in the Test format and especially on the pitches in Bangladesh.” The tour comprises two Test matches as part of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) World Test Championship and three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) as part of the ICC’s Cricket World Cup Super League.

The ODIs present the first opportunity for the West Indies to earn Super League points which count towards the pre-qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2023.

All squad members returned their second negative covid19 PCR tests as part of the established medical protocols and have been cleared for travel to Bangladesh. The full squad is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on Sunday.

ODI Squad

Jason Mohammed (captain), Sunil Ambris (vice-captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Joshua Da Silva, Keon Harding, Jahmar Hamilton, Chemar Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Andre McCarthy, Kjorn Ottley, Rovman Powell, Raymon Reifer, Hayden Walsh Jnr

Test Squad

Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Jermaine Blackwood (vice-captain), Nkrumah Bonner, John Campbell, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Kavem Hodge, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Shayne Moseley, Veerasammy Permaul, Kemar Roach, Raymon Reifer, Jomel Warrican

Team Management

Phil Simmons (head coach), Rawl Lewis (team manager), Roddy Estwick (assistant coach), Monty Desai (assistant coach), Rayon Griffith (assistant coach), Denis Byam (physiotherapist), Dr Praimanand Singh (team doctor), Ronald Rogers (strength and conditioning coach), Sharon Coppin (massage therapist), Simeon Christophe (massage therapist), Donald LeGuerre (mental skills coach), Dario Barthley (media and content officer), Paul Slowe (security and compliance officer), A.R Srikkanth (team analyst)

Tour Schedule

January 10: West Indies arrive

January 18: One-day warm-up match, BKSP, Savar

January 20 1st ODI, SBNCS, Dhaka

January 22: 2nd ODI, SBNCS, Dhaka

January 25: 3rd ODI, ZACS, Chattogram

January 28-31: Four-day warm-up, M.A. Aziz Stadium, Chattogram

February 3-7: 1st Test Match, ZACS, Chattogram

February 11-15: 2nd Test Match, SBNCS, Dhaka