It will be a star-studded West Indies line-up against a high-riding India outfit — a perfect combination for what should be a delightful Finolex Pipes Twenty20 International at Sabina Park today.
This may be a one-off contest, but it promises to be the most evenly matched fixture of the Indian tour, as this represents the West Indies' strongest format of the game.
With the likes of local stars Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels, alongside Kieron Pollard and others, adding some impetus to the regional side, the excitement is expected to be peaking from the very first ball at 10:30 am.
Following their 3-1 win in the five-match One-Day International (ODI) series on Thursday, India will have the psychological advanntage heading into the game as they aim to finish their tour of the Caribbean on a high.
However, it will be a slightly more difficult task for the Virat Kohli-led squad, as this West Indies unit will prove more formidable when compared to the young Jason Holder-led ODI squad.
They had to wait a bit longer than they would have liked, but India led by a classy century by Captain Virat Kohli, wrapped up a 3-1 series win over the West Indies following an eight-wicket triumph in the final game of the five-match series at Sabina Park yesterday.
West Indies trailing 1-2, came into the contest with hopes of levelling the series, but after winning the toss and opting to bat first, those hopes were left hanging by a thread.
The Indian bowlers exerted their dominance in restricting the regional side to a moderate 209-9 from 50 overs, with the Hope brothers Shai (51) — who is the only batsman to score two half-centuries in the series — and Kyle (46) being the best scorers in a West Indies batting order that lacked the flair and experience to capitalise on the conditions.
It was another wasted start by Kyle, who went at a decent pace for his 46 off 50 deliveries, including nine boundaries.
TAUNTON, England, CMC – West Indies’ misery at the ICC Women’s World Cup increased on Thursday when they produced yet another docile performance against New Zealand Women to lose by eight wickets and crash to their fourth straight defeat.
In what has become the norm during the campaign, the Caribbean side meekly surrendered for 150 all out off 43 overs after being sent in at Somerset County Ground and then watched helplessly as the Kiwis stormed to the target in the 19th over.
Veteran opener Rachel Priest slammed the fastever ever Women’s World Cup fifty en route to a stroke-filled 90 while Suzie Bates struck an unbeaten 40, to take their side to five points and fourth in the eight-team standings.
West Indies, meanwhile, continued bottom without a point with virtually all hope extinguished of making the final four.
Once again, their batting proved shambolic. Kyshona Knight, batting at number seven, top-scored with 42 while tail-ender Afy Fletcher finished on 23 not out and captain Stafanie Taylor and wicketkeeper Merissa Aguilleira both got 20.
They were undermined by off-spinner Leigh Kasperek (3-17) and seamer Lea Tahuhu (3-39) who picked up three wickets apiece.
West Indies’ promises of an improved showing came to nothing as they slumped to 10 for two in the fifth over with Tahuhu removing both openers cheaply.
Left-hander Kycia Knight, who only arrived earlier this week as one of two injury replacements, had a miserable start to her campaign when she edged a low catch behind without scoring in the third over.
St GEORGE'S, Grenada (CMC) — Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne yesterday defended his government's position of the Caribbean Community's (Caricom)'s view on the Cricket West Indies insisting that it has a policy of not interfering “in the internal affairs of institutions and governments”.
Browne, in a statement to the Caribbean Media Corporation ( CMC), said that the governance of West Indies cricket “appears to be an evocative romanticism of a particular Caribbean head”.
Addressing the ceremonial opening of the 38th summit of Caricom leaders here on Tuesday night, the host prime minister and incoming chairman, Dr Keith Mitchell, ardent cricket lover, said cricket, with all its challenges, remains a unique West Indian enterprise worthy of support and promotion.
He said the legacies that have been created by West Indian players on the field, and the voice they have given throughout generations to expressions of West Indian identity, have been well-documented and chronicled through the years.
“So, when we get together to discuss the current challenges of the regional game, it is not merely a case of politicians dabbling in some useless pastime.
“It is, therefore, greatly disheartening to me, and several other colleague heads, that after Caricom had taken common positions to assist in addressing the crisis of West Indies cricket, certain member governments thereafter publicly adopted different positions,” said Mitchell, a former cricketer himself, who once headed the Caricom sub-committee on Cricket.
KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Selection Panel of Cricket West Indies today named the Windies 13-man squad for Finolex Pipes T20 International against India.
The match will be played at Sabina Park on Sunday, July 9. First ball is 10:30 am (11:30am Eastern Caribbean Time).
Experienced opening batsman Chris Gayle has been named in the squad. The left-hander is the highest run-maker for Windies in this format with 1,519 runs (average 35.32, strike rate 145.49), including two centuries. This will be his first T20 International at Sabina Park.
All-rounder Jason Holder is being rested for the match.
FULL SQUAD 26. Carlos Brathwaite (Captain) 77. Samuel Badree 79. Ronsford Beaton 45. Chris Gayle 17. Evin Lewis 93. Jason Mohammed 74. Sunil Narine 55. Kieron Pollard 52. Rovman Powell 7. Marlon Samuels 75. Jerome Taylor 57. Chadwick Walton 60. Kesrick Williams
