Keemo Paul, the young West Indies fast bowling all-rounder who has been selected to join the West Indies cricket team ahead of today’s first One Day International in Pakistan has not been chosen as a replacement player but as an actual member of the squad, West Indies One Day skipper Nicholas Pooran said yesterday.
“I’m aware Keemo Paul is joining the team, obviously it is very hot here. We don’t know what can happen,” Pooran said at a press conference yesterday.
Paul, who last played a One Day International for the West Indies back in February, 2020, recently turned out for the Guyana Harpy Eagles in the Regional First-Class tournament, ending that competition as the second highest wicket-taker and most fruitful seamer.
According to the weather report, the temperature is expected to top 45 degrees Celsius this week and the intense heat is expected to be a test for bothteams.
However, according to Pooran, the high temperature did not pose too much problems in their first and only practice session on tour so far but he did admit that it was a bit of a challenge coming from the cold in Netherlands into the heat in Pakistan.
West Indies are entering this series against the hosts buoyed by their 3-0 sweep of the Netherlands prior to this tour.
“For my side I believe we started something really good, winning 3-0 there, in terms of confidence, the guys are confident. I’m not expecting anything much from the series, I believe the guys are working as a unit here, trying to do as much right things as possible, trying to do what is required of us for the team to be successful. I don’t want to say we are going to win the series or lose the series, the game is played on the day and the team that does more right things for longer periods is going to win,” Pooran said.
Pooran himself is under the radar with his batting having scored just over 100 runs in nine innings at an average of 11.2 but assured that he feels there is something big close by and it’s only a matter of time.
As a unit, the batsmen did relatively well coming into Pakistan with Shamarh Brooks, Shai Hope and Kyle Mayers all scoring centuries and Brandon King scoring a career best of 91 not out.
Newbie, Keacy Carty also showed promise in his lone innings where he made 43 not out.
With the ball, the spinners continue to dominate with Akeal Hosein continuing his dream run in the format but overall, the West Indies bowlers have shared the wickets.
Pakistan are ranked fifth while West Indies are ranked ninth. The contest begins at 07.00 hours locally.
