… calls on players to execute their roles

WEST Indies Twenty20 International vice-captain, Nicholas Pooran, has indicated that there is no excuse for losing the third Twenty20 International to South Africa by one run in Grenada on Tuesday. “In T20s partnerships form, you do lose wickets, but I felt it was our game to win in all honesty. We had that partnership with myself and Fabian (Allen) and we should have won, no excuse.” Pooran expressed in an interview. “Despite South Africa bowling well in the last two games, we should have found a way to win that game,” he added.
On the brighter side, Pooran said Windies are happy with the ‘death bowling’ as they were able to restrict South Africa after they had got another solid start in the power play.
Pooran, who made 26 from 28 balls in the close finish, said the players must continue to stay positive and they have been playing good cricket, but it is about executing their skills in the key moments to overcome the South Africans. While Pooran said they were happy not to lose wickets to the Proteas’ spinners, West Indies soaked up 48 dots which is equivalent to eight scoreless overs in the match. Obed McKoy, Fabian Allen, and Kevin Sinclair have shown the depth in the West Indies ranks. If the big-names can fire alongside them, West Indies will be even more difficult to beat. McCoy is the leading wicket-taker (seven) in the series so far and is displaying the kind of skill that South Africa’s attack has lacked.
As mentioned, the bowling has come in for high praise but the batting will be required to click in this must-win match for West Indies if they are to keep their recent successful home series record intact.