It was Jason Holder’s helmet trick in the final T20I against England Sunday that sealed the series win but he credits a complete team effort while suggesting that West Indies cricket is in good hands.
Holder made the comments yesterday after his heroics earned him the Player-of-the-Series award.
His 15 wickets went down as the most by a bowler in a bilateral series while his four wickets in four balls made him only the fourth player to do so in men’s T20Is.
He joins Lasith Malinga, Rashid Khan and Curtis Campher in that elite company.
“I was just pleased with the consistency in the wicket-taking column,” he said.
“It is something I pride myself on particularly in this format and I am just happy I stuck through the tough times in the series which you would expect and just the way I came through the tough period was pleasing, I had to hold my nerve and my character…settle and do what was required in that present time,” he added.
The former captain explained that it was a total team effort.
“I think everybody really put their hands up in desperate times and we played together well as a team. I try not to single out individuals, I feel it was a complete team effort, yes there were outstanding individual performances but for me to sit down and pin point individuals I think it would be unfair to the entire team and what we have done together,” he declared.
However, he noted the contributions of Rovman Powell, who became only the third West Indian to hit a T20I century as well as Akeal Hosein who bagged eight wickets.
Holder stated, “It is great to see Rovman especially coming and play an innings that he did in the third T20I but then not only to play that innings but back it up with what I felt was a match winning innings partnership with the captain… Akeal for me is the best left arm spinner in the region and he definitely shows it so credit to them.”
The 30-year-old suggested that West Indies cricket was in good hands.
“I think this group has to be the group now with such a young group of talented players to come even close and get better and I think once we do that, I think the future of West Indies cricket is in good hands.”
The Barbados Royals captain recalled that it was inspiring for the “deflated” team especially coming in from Jamaica where they lost the series to Ireland. He reasoned that it showed the character in the dressing room.
“I think it’s been great, after the start we had in Jamaica against Ireland everyone was down and deflated and to see the way we bounced back here against England it just shows the character in the dressing room.
I think we really pulled together as a side, it is the first time in a long time it felt that close in a dressing room and it is a great feeling and hopefully we could continue this on and keep building something special,” he said.
