Matthew Nandu is one of two Guyanese selected in the West Indies Under-19 squad for the tour of England next month and the all-rounder is looking to make full use of the opportunity.
Stabroek Sport spoke exclusively to the 18-year-old left-hander yesterday as he was packing in Antigua in preparation of the flight.
According to Nandu, “My goals for England are to continue putting in the work and making full use of this amazing opportunity. I would like to get some big scores as well as take wickets with the ball.”
The top order batsman, who turned out for the Yellow Flamingos in the recent four-team competition hosted by Cricket West Indies, admitted that he did not get the amount of runs as he would have liked despite scoring a half century and a few useful cameos. His right-arm off-break was also economical and proved vital towards the back end of the tournament.
Nandu said, “I am pleased with my selection but I have a lot of work to do in order to get to the international stage. I want to improve on all areas of my game, physically and mentally, to become an elite athlete that is required to play cricket at the highest level.”
The Everest Cricket Club all-rounder is the son of former West Indies under-19 leg-spinner Arjune Nandu who went on to represent Guyana in four First-Class matches.
Nandu was thankful to his family and friends who have been the backbone of his support since his preparations began and even through the COVID-19 pandemic. This support, according to him has aided him reaching this level and will serve as motivation as he pushes for a spot in the West Indies Under-19 World Cup squad.
“It’s a great accomplishment for me. A lot of work still has to be done in order to reach the top. I am really excited and thankful for the opportunity to go to England and look forward to continue working with the management and coaching staff. I just wanted to thank CWI for this opportunity and the experience. I would also like to thank my family, and everyone else who has supported me along my journey,” he said.
Nandu added, “The journey has been a great experience so far. It’s very important to take this process step-by-step and continue to improve on my game. It is quite difficult to cope with the isolation bubble that has been put in place to prevent the spread of COVID – 19.”
Nandu will be joined by fast-bowler Isai Thorne. They are the only two local players chosen in the 18-man squad. The tour will feature six Youth One-Day Internationals at The County Ground, Beckenham and The Polo Farm, Canterbury from September 4 to September 17.
