In a bid to reclaim the Regional Super50 title the Guyana Jaguars have made several changes to the 2019 squad.
Among those included this time around is Assad Fudadin, who says he is fit and focused on bringing back glory to Guyana.
Fudadin is the only player in the current squad that was part of the 2005 unit that lifted the title.
The 35-year-old left-hander represented the Jamaica Scorpions since 2017.
In the 2019 Super50 competition, he scored 345 runs at an average of 43.12, blasting a best of 107 with two half centuries.
“Obviously Guyana is my country of birth and I started all my cricket here and it’s good to be back playing cricket here and representing my country again,” he told Stabroek Sport following Friday’s practice game.
“It’s a great honour and I am feeling very happy, I can’t really express the emotions of getting back the opportunity to play for my country,” he added.
Fudadin explained that while his performance in the 2019 season was a confidence booster, for him it’s about taking each game as it comes and performing better.
“I am fit and I’m hungry. I still want to play cricket with that intensity. In terms of preparation, due to the COVID and stuff, its more mental and we had some good weather for the past three games so you get the feel for cricket again.
“Obviously as a cricketer, performances are always confidence and that’s the past but it is a bit of confidence for me and I just want to continue in the Super50 vein and the form I had for Jamaica and even better.”
He has not set himself any goals overall.
“I don’t really set overall goals and I try to take matches one-by-one but I just try to win matches for my team and do the best I can,” he stated.
In the warm up matches, Fudadin batted positively at times especially in the final match where he made 39, laced with three sixes and three fours.
The veteran of 110 First-Class and 65 List A matches, said that while he is the only player from that successful season, there are a bunch of experienced players in the squad and talented youths coming through.
“It’s not a new bunch. We have experience. We have guys who have been playing Super50 cricket for a little while but obviously, yes, I am the only guy in the team that won the tournament [for Guyana] and it would be nice to win and we have the experience and youth so if it clicks, there is a great chance of us winning,” he said.
The tournament is set for Antigua and will run from February 7 to 27 behind closed doors. It is understood that four of Guyana’s five group matches will be televised.
Guyana Jaguars: Leon Johnson (Captain), Shimron Hetmyer (Vice-Captain), Anthony Bramble, Tevin Imlach, Assad Fudadin, Chandrapaul Hemraj, Christopher Barnwell, Trevon Griffith, Akshaya Persaud, Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd, Nial Smith, Keon Joseph, Ramaal Lewis, Kevin Sinclair
