The last minute decision to stage two T20 matches against India in Florida turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the West Indies.
Sources say the matches were financial successes with some US $11.2 million being generated from media rights and gate receipts.
Although cricket in the Americas falls under the auspices of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), it was the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), who were given permission by the WICB to host the matches, and despite the fact that one of the two games was affected by rain, the BCCI was still able to make a profit.
A member of the WICB told Guardian Media that the outcome has gone a long way in healing wounds between the two cricketing nations following the 2014 debacle which saw the West Indies aborting a tour of India with several matches still to be played.
The fiasco left the WICB with a debt of US $41.97 million and it took months of discussion and sensitive negotiations before the WICB and the BCCI were able to arrive at a workable option.
Pakistan completed a 3-0 whitewash of West Indies with a comfortable eight-wicket win in Abu Dhabi that exposed the World T20 champions' weaknesses in conditions not conducive to big hitting. Sent in to bat, West Indies stuttered to 103 for 5 in their 20 overs, failing to get into gear after losing three top-order wickets to Imad Wasim's non-turning left-arm spin.
Chasing less than six runs an over, Pakistan were never under pressure, especially after Jerome Taylor sprayed the new ball around in his first two overs, conceding four leg-side fours, a leg-side wide, and a set of leg-byes down to the fine leg boundary. Kesrick Williams, the debutant fast bowler, dismissed both openers in the sixth over of the innings, but Pakistan easily shrugged that setback aside as Babar Azam and Shoaib Malik steered them home with an unbroken partnership of 68 for the third wicket. Malik ended the match off the first ball of the 16th over, shovelling Carlos Brathwaite for a six over long-on.
When they won the World T20 earlier this year, West Indies only really struggled in two games, a narrow win against South Africa and a defeat to Afghanistan. Both games came in Nagpur, the venue with the largest outfield and most spin-friendly pitch of the tournament. Abu Dhabi's outfield is even larger, and while its pitch didn't offer much turn, it didn't give the batsmen much bounce or pace to work with. This meant West Indies would need to look outside their usual T20 template to find a trustworthy run-scoring method.
Pakistan eye first T20 series whitewash over West Indies today
Tue, Sep 27, '16
ABU DHABI: Coach Mickey Arthur urged Pakistan to be ruthless and achieve a rare clean sweep against world champions West Indies in the third and final Twenty20 International in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. Pakistan hold an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series after the nine wicket and 16-run victories in the two back-to-back matches in Dubai. Arthur said the series win is the first step in building a new team under the captaincy of wicket-keeper/batsman Sarfraz Ahmed, five months after they crashed out of the World Twenty20 in India. “Without a doubt the series win is the first step in the right direction,” said Arthur on Monday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium. “We want to win it 3-0 and want to be ruthless with our attitude.”
Top-order issues have led to downfall - Brathwaite
Tue, Sep 27, '16
West Indies T20 captain Carlos Brathwaite has pointed out that top-order issues have been the major worry for them in the two matches against Pakistan in Dubai. West Indies were reduced to 17 for 4 in the first T20, before being bowled out for 115, and were tottering at 19 for 3 while chasing 161 in the second T20. They lost both matches and now the teams move to Abu Dhabi for the third T20 on Tuesday.
"The one glaring thing I can see [that went wrong in the first two matches] is the batting, especially top-order batting," Brathwaite said on Monday. "We haven't been making the most of the first six overs with only two fielders out. And then it became harder and harder…in the first game we had five wickets down. And then chasing 160 and [being] only 20-odd after the first six, it's going to be a lot more difficult especially with such huge boundaries. So our top-order batting and the misuse of the first six overs was our downfall in the first two games."
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The Selection Panel of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) announced the 15-man squad for the upcoming Test Series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.
The series will consist of three Test matches. The opening match will be a day/night fixture at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, from Thursday, October 13 to Monday, October 17.
This will be the first time both teams play a Test match under lights using the pink ball.
The other matches at: Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi (Friday, October 21 to Tuesday, October 25) and Sharjah Cricket Stadium (Sunday, October 30 to Thursday, November 3).
FULL SQUAD Jason Holder (captain), Kraigg Brathwaite (vice captain), Devendra Bishoo Jermaine Blackwood,, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich Shannon Gabriel, Shai Hope, Leon Johnson Alzarri Joseph, Marlon Samuels, Jomel Warrican
2 comments
