SHAI HOPE ON WI V PAK

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West Indies skipper Shai Hope is backing his team to deliver a fourth straight home series win when the ODI series between the West Indies and Pakistan bowls off on Friday 8th August at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.   And while confidence appears high, Hope is keeping a close eye on Pakistan's spin attack, urging his batters to knuckle down and play them smart.

Transcript

00:00The West Indies are aiming for their fourth straight ODI series win at home

00:04when they take on Pakistan in three matches.

00:06It's also important for the men in Maroon to gain valuable points

00:09in order to qualify for the World Cup on the African continent in 2027.

00:14Windies captain Shehope says the players are upbeat ahead of the matches in Teruba.

00:19I think it's a very positive mood and vibe amongst the dressing room,

00:23especially some of the recent results that we've had,

00:27but despite those in different formats,

00:30I think the guys are really looking forward to this one,

00:32especially the core group of ODI guys who we've had for the last two years or so.

00:37We've shown that success, especially in our own home conditions.

00:41So it's something that we're certainly looking forward to,

00:43and tomorrow starts another journey, some history that we can create as well.

00:47So a lot to look forward to from a leadership standpoint

00:51and certainly from the guys who have been around for quite some time.

00:54West Indies beat England in 2023 and then in 2024 in the Caribbean,

00:59followed by a 3-0 win against Bangladesh last December

01:02to make it three in a row in this part of the world.

01:06And Hope says the batters have played a key role in making it happen.

01:10We must commend the work that the batters have been doing for the last couple of seasons,

01:15and it's important that we highlight those good performances as well

01:20because we're very quick to cry down our own in the Caribbean.

01:23So it's great to see the way Rutherford has been,

01:26and especially has been very consistent.

01:28I think he scored five or six consecutive 50-plus scores over a period of time.

01:32And Casey, who pretty much averages 50 in O-day cricket as well,

01:36and he's been showing that constant progression.

01:39And then we're getting a lot more starts from the openers.

01:42Evan came back in, showcased his skill in class,

01:45Brandon doing this thing at the top.

01:47So I think our top six, we've been providing that stability

01:50that we've been seeking for a little bit of time.

01:51Having surrendered the T20 Series 2-1 to Pakistan in Fort Lauderdale,

01:56Hope knows that the opposition will not make things easy for the Caribbean cricketers.

02:01Once again, Hope expects the men in green to rely heavily on their slower bowlers.

02:06I think they're going to throw a lot of spin at us once again,

02:09especially in those middle-overs,

02:10and it's something that we've been a lot better at in the recent past.

02:15So just the way we go about and negate that spin,

02:18the swing threat in the middle-overs,

02:20I think that's going to be the deciding factor for us in this series,

02:24whether we come out on top or not.

02:26So I would say that's the biggest thing.

02:29Obviously, they've got skill at the top as well with their new ball bowlers,

02:32the ability that Shaheen and Nassim Shah, they have.

02:37Matthew Ford is out because of an injury,

02:39with Johan Lane receiving his call-up.

02:42Casualties, too, have been a concern for the Windies.

02:45Something that we've been struggling with for the last couple of weeks,

02:50the injuries has been really halting some of that progress that we're looking for.

02:55But it still provides another opportunity for someone else

02:57to deepen that pool and see what someone else is capable of at this level.

03:02So it's a good opportunity for Johan to come in and showcase his skills as well,

03:06learn from the rest of the bowlers, the rest of our players here.

03:10The opening match is a day-night affair and starts at 2 p.m.,

03:14whereas the remaining two on Sunday and Tuesday are day games.

03:18Now, I need Tf6 port.

03:20Now, I need Tf6 port.

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