West Indies Still Figuring Out How To Play ODI Cricket, Reveals Skipper Pooran After 0-3 Loss Against India

Cricket Image for West Indies Still Figuring Out How To Play ODI Cricket, Reveals Skipper Pooran Aft (Image Source: IANS)

In the three-match ODI series against India, West Indies put up a fight in the first two matches despite being on the losing side.

But the hosts were bereft of any fightback in the third ODI at Queen's Park Oval, losing by 119 runs in a truncated match as they were bowled out for 137 in 26 overs. It means that West Indies have lost ODI series against Bangladesh and now India back-to-back by the same margin.

Skipper Nicholas Pooran admitted that the side is still trying to figure out their gameplan in ODI cricket. "It was a tough one for us. We did a lot of right things in the first two games. I think we tried our best, the boys performed well. But there were a lot of games in a short span of time."

"As a batting group, it was going to be a challenge with DLS coming into play. We did get some partnerships, but not as many as we wanted, that cost us the game. There are a few inexperienced players, still figuring out how to play ODI cricket," said Pooran in the post-match presentation ceremony.

West Indies will next play ODIs against New Zealand, but for now they have five T20Is against India coming up from Friday in Trinidad. "Everyone has a good idea now, looking forward to the upcoming New Zealand series. We gained a lot in this series after coming from Guyana."

"The bowlers bowled well in the powerplay, they didn't get wickets, but that's fine. The guys are getting more confident with every game. Very excited with our T20 team, looking forward to the game on Friday. Hope that we come out and entertain the crowd," added Pooran.

In the post-match press conference, head coach Phil Simmons saw the West Indies batting using their full quota of 50 overs in the first two matches, where they registered scores of 305 and 311 batting second and first respectively, as a positive point which they need to carry forward in future.

"The fact that we batted and we continue to bat the 50 overs (is) something we have not been doing for awhile...the first two games we batted the 50 overs and we looked like we understand what batting 50 overs is about, so I think that is a step forward and I think we have to keep moving forward with that."

Simmons further picked opener Shubman Gill and pacers Mohammed Siraj as the crucial factors in India winning the third ODI. "One thing? there are two. Batting of Shubman Gill and the bowling of Mohammed Siraj. Siraj was excellent in closing out the first game in the last over. He was good with the new ball today. Shardul Thakur was also good. I think their bowling stood out more than ours."

Simmons signed off by refusing to use rain interruption as an explanation for heavy loss in third ODI. "It (rain interruption) did play a part but it was the same for both the teams. We can't use that as an excuse that the rain disturbed us. I think we lost too many wickets in the chase. We were on target there with 10 overs left but we just lost too many wickets."