Chanderpaul fit and ready to take on Zimbabwe, South Africa
COUVA, Trinidad (CMC) – Resurgent Guyana and West Indies middle-order batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul has declared himself fit and ready for action in the upcoming series against Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Chanderpaul made the disclosure to CMC Sports during a reception hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board on Wednesday night at the Frank Worrell Development Centre here, ahead of the sixth round of the WICB regional first class matches starting yesterday.
“I am pretty good. I had a decent comeback. I am feeling better now than a couple weeks back,” said the left-handed batsman who had been ruled out of action after sustaining a thumb injury during West Indies’ Test tour of Australia late last year.
“I am ready now. I played in the last game (against Barbados) and now I am playing the Leeward Islands.”
West Indies will play Zimbabwe in a five-match One-Day International series starting February 28 before hosting the World Twenty20 Championship which bowls off April 30.
The regional side will then take on South Africa in three Tests and five ODIs beginning May 19.
The soft-spoken 35-year-old will lead Guyana’s batting against the Leewards at the National Cricket Centre, with the hope that the floundering side can end their run of poor form.
They are winless this season but Chanderpaul said the side needed to be given time to develop.
“We have a lot of talented young players and they will need to learn and learn fast. And as long as I am there I will be working with them. They are the future of Guyana and by extension, West Indies cricket,” he contended.
“We have a young team and with most of the more experienced players missing because of regional duties and injuries there was hardly any guidance for them and that is always a setback. We need a blend of youth and experience to play together.”
He was optimistic that West Indies would do well in the World T20 Championship, especially after their outing in the tournament last year in England.
“Judging from the last T20 Championship, we went on to reach the semi-finals and I see no reason why we cannot go on further and win the tournament playing at home,” Chanderpaul said.