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.
03:20Now, I need Tf6 port.
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