Bravo backs firepower to get better of Pakistan
Left-hander Darren Bravo has stressed the importance of starting the ICC Cricket World Cup on a winning note. West Indies open their campaign today when they clash with Pakistan at Trent Bridge and a full house is expected to watch the contest. The Caribbean side are coming off a handsome win in their final warm-up against New Zealand when they amassed a mammoth 421.
West Indies’ strength will be in their batting headed by left-handed opener Chris Gayle. The 39-year-old is a veteran of 289 ODIs and has piled up 10,151 runs along with 25 centuries. He is now in his fifth World Cup. He is complemented by the in-form Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran – all of whom are age 25 or under – while Bravo and Andre Russell – both in their third World Cups – provide extra firepower.
“If you look at our batting line-up, you see can the firepower. We’ve a good blend of experience and youth and we’ve showed glimpses we can be a very dangerous team,” Bravo pointed out.
“I think we have a very good blend of experience and youth. Chris at the top of the order will obviously look to set the momentum for us. As younger players we really look up to him as well, he’s always there motivating us. We’re really glad to have him and I think he gives us that extra bonus at the top.”
Bravo said Pakistan remained a dangerous side and West Indies would not take them lightly.
“At the end of the day we want to come out with the win. Regardless of the total we just want to come out with the points under our bell. We’re looking forward to the encounter. We know it’s going to be a challenging game because with Pakistan you can never take them lightly. They are a very good team. It is World Cup cricket and you have to go out there and play your best cricket,” said the 30-year-old, who has played 107 ODIs. “We really want to win this game and start off our campaign on a high. Don’t matter how many runs we get, we just want to come out with a win.”
Pakistan have lost 13 of their last 18 ODIs and are coming off a 4-0 series defeat to England earlier this month. However, Bravo said the West Indies focus would not be on Pakistan but on trying to execute their own game plans.
“As a team we don’t really want to focus too much on the opposition,” he noted. “We’ve identified some of their weaknesses but we want to go out there and focus on our game – we want to bat well, we want to bowl well, we want to field well most importantly. As long as we get those facets of our game right, I don’t see any reason why we can’t come out on top.”