West Indies’ legspinner Samuel Badree, noted that Pakistan can be a “very dangerous team” in the shorter formats of the game. He further added that the defending World Twenty20 champions, West Indies, are “wary of the challenge” that the home side might pose in the three-match Twenty20 International series, starting on Friday (September 23) in Dubai.
“On their day, they can demolish any opposition and we are wary of that challenge,” said Badree as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “We respect every opposition that we come up against and we are going to do the same against Pakistan. We are going to prepare well knowing that Pakistan is a very dangerous team.”
Newly appointed Pakistan T20I captain Sarfraz Ahmed will be looking to boost his team’s rankings (now seventh) as they face 2016 World T20 champions, who are placed at number three in the shortest format’s rankings.
“It’s a different team from the team that won the World T20,” said Badree. “We have a lot of new guys, a few players who are making their debuts on this tour. A number of our guys have been here before — the likes of [Sunil] Narine, [Dwayne] Bravo, [Kieron] Pollard. So we are looking forward to some very good games of cricket and, of course, we’d like to win the series and remain as one of the best T20 teams in the world.”
Meanwhile, Badree is relying on Pakistan’s mercurial nature to cause an upset. However, he is wary of the inconsistency of his own team.
“Pakistan is very similar to us in terms of their consistency — or lack, thereof,” he said. “One day they will give a brilliant performance, just like us, then the next, they leave a lot to be desired.”
Youngsters take the game on Arthur
Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur was a happy man when his side beat England in the one-off T20I at Old Trafford in the recently concluded England tour and the South African believes the youngsters in the team are fantastic in the way they ‘take the game on’.
“The players we have brought in — Imad Wasim, Babar Azam, Sohail Khan, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Nawaz — they take the game on. They don’t fear failure, which is fantastic. They are the guys we want to build this one-day cricket brand around,” he was quoted as saying byESPNcricinfo.
West Indies will begin the tour with a warm-up match against Emirates Cricket Board XI on today. It will be followed by three T20Is and three ODIs. The series will end with three five-day matches which will also include a day-night Test.
