Preparation, clear thoughts key to ODIs – Mohammed
Published:Friday | January 15, 2021 | 12:18 AMLennox Aldred/Gleaner Writer
West Indies One-Day International (ODI) captain Jason Mohammed says the preparation leading up to their first ODI against Bangladesh next week will be key to the team’s ambitions in the three-match series.
Mohammed was speaking after the team had their first practice session in Dhaka after four consecutive days of isolation at the team hotel.
The ODI team held a net session in the evening while the Test team had a run out earlier. After the session, Mohammed spoke to the media via teleconference, and he said that the next couple of days will be critical to the team’s readiness for the resolute Bangladesh side.
“Coming into any team’s home town is always going to be difficult,” he said. “But I think once we prepare well and have clear thoughts and work on our plans, I think we are going to give a good showing of ourselves.”
The Windies will be hoping to break the shackles of beating Bangladesh at home. The last time the Maroon-clad side did that was three years ago at the same venue where the first ODI is to be played.
Back then, the Windies had Marlon Samuels, Shai Hope, and Shimron Hetmyer in the batting line-up, with Kemar Roach, Oshane Thomas and Devendra Bishoo as bowlers.
This time, the Windies will have to do the job with a youthful, inexperienced aggregation, after several senior players declined to tour for COVID-19-related concerns or personal reasons.
GAME PLAN
When the first ODI bowls off next week, the West Indies could field as many as nine debutants; however, Mohammed is keen to lead from the front to ensure the regional side start with the best possible result.
“My job is to make the guys as relaxed and as calm as possible, and try to guide them in the right direction, especially on the field,” he said. “I think everyone understands their game, although they are pretty young. It’s for us to just go through the plans and execute.”
Mohammed also spoke about his form coming into the series, having not played any competitive cricket for several months.
“It’s been a long time since I have been out throughout the COVID-19 period, but I have been doing some work with the [Trinidad and Tobago] senior team back home, and we have a couple of days here, which is going to be important. I will just try to hit as many balls in the middle of the bat, and I am looking forward to the three-match series.”
The West Indies start the tour on Wednesday with the first ODI under lights at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. Before that, they will have a 50-over warm-up match on Monday against the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI at the BKSP in Savar.