Nicholas Pooran relishes chance to play with WI T20 stars against South Africa

VICE-CAPTAIN Nicholas Pooran said many players would relish the opportunity to play on a team like the star-studded and experienced West Indies T20 team preparing to face South Africa in the CG Insurance T20 International five-match series.

The entire series will be played at the National Cricket Stadium in St George's, Grenada starting on Saturday at 2 pm. Matches will also be played on Sunday, Tuesday, July 1 and July 3. All matches bowl off at 2 pm.

Several players on the squad have featured in all the major T20 leagues in the world including the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Big Bash in Australia. Jamaican all-rounder Andre Russell has made a return to the squad after battling with injury and contracting covid19 in February.

Opener Chris Gayle and fast bowler Fidel Edwards made a return to the squad for the Sri Lanka series earlier this year.

The team also includes captain Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Jason Holder, Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons and Shimron Hetmyer.

Pollard has played the most T20 matches in history as he has lined up in 540 contests. Bravo is second on the list with 477 matches and Gayle is tied for third place with 424.

On Thursday, speaking to journalists on Zoom, Pooran said, “I think the confidence from the group is very good. We have all our senior players back with the inclusion of Russell. We have the most exciting T20 players in the world back together in one team. A lot of teams would love a team like this, players like this.”

West Indies are aiming to rebound after being crushed 2-0 in the Betway two-match Test series against South Africa which ended earlier this week in St Lucia.

Holder is the only West Indies player in the T20 squad who featured in the Test series.

The Windies batting struggled in the series as the team failed to reach 200 on four attempts.

Pooran thinks the Windies batting can deliver in the T20 series.

“I believe once we do our jobs right we are going to get the rewards at the end of the day. Again, we have the best T20 players in the world - no doubt about it – but once we can play our roles exactly what the team requires from us we will put up some scores. It is not guaranteed, but once we do the right things then we are giving ourselves the best chance to put some scores on the board.”

Pooran had a dismal run of form in the 2021 IPL before it was suspended at the halfway point because of the covid19 pandemic. The left-handed wicket-keeper/batsman is still confident in his ability.

“I did not get the scores I wanted in the IPL this year, but things happen…it is a part of cricket, it’s life. We all have our down times, but to me it is just keeping it simple, believing in myself and backing my skills and ability. To me it is just about going out there and enjoying the game. At the end of the day I don’t want to put too much of pressure on myself.”

West Indies won their only T20 series in 2021 with a 2-1 win over Sri Lanka in Antigua in March.

It was a memorable series for Pollard as he struck six sixes in an over off spinner Akila Dananjaya.

West Indies provisional 18-man squad: Kieron Pollard (captain), Nicholas Pooran (vice-captain), Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Fidel Edwards, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Andre Russell, Lendl Simmons, Kevin Sinclair, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh.