ZCZC
BSP-15
CRICKET-JASON-LEAD
Windies skipper Jason wants to lead by example against Bangladesh
DHAKA, Jan 15, 2021 (BSS)- West Indies stand-in captain Jason Mohammed
expressed his desire to lead the side by example and in doing so win the
series against Bangladesh, when everyone seems to write off their chance.
The Caribbean side came to Bangladesh without their 12 top players
including the ODI captain Keiron Pollard and Test captain Jason Holder who
all pulled out of the tour due to Covid-19 fear and personal reasons.
West Indies therefore forced to field a side that was dubbed as second
string with Jason Mohammad himself returning to the side after last playing
in the national side back in 2018.
Apart from leading the side well, he also wants to cement his place in the
best XI again.
“I’ve been out for two years now. I’ve a role in leading the team but
personally I look forward to the challenge. It’s a good opportunity for me to
have a good series, and put my hands up for when the full strength team is
back, so I can really get my place back in that team,” Jason said.
“I’ve captained other teams but this is of course a bigger stage of cricket
and something that I’m looking forward to,” he added.
Most of the players in his side, however, are inexperienced and Jason knew
he would have the difficult task of guiding a young side against an opponent
they have struggled in the ODI format in recent years.
West Indies didn’t win any ODI against Bangladesh in the last five matches.
Their last win against Bangladesh in ODI came in 2018 in the three-match ODI
series in which they lost by 2-1.
“The records show that they have got the best of us in the last couple of
times. We are a young team. Once we play good consistent cricket over the 100
over, cover the bases, I think we can win games. Being consistent will be the
main thing, and executing our skills well,” he remarked.
Jason was also motivated by the Clive Lloyd’s open letter in which he urged
the players to put up their hands and proved they are not the second class
players.
“It is coming from one of our greats. Obviously those are the sort of thing
you want to hear. There’s a lot of negative talk going around. When you hear
someone like Clive Lloyd, he puts a great belief within you,” he said.
“With a World Cup coming up, it is an opportunity for all of us to try to
put our hands up, firstly to get in the original team, when the full squad is
back. We’ve a chance to go into the World Cup. It has inspired the team, and
hopefully we can back his wisdom.”
The West Indies side had to undergo three days of quarantine at their team
hotel before they completed their first practice session at Bangladesh.
Asked how he spent his time while locked up in his room, the skipper said,
“First it was a little bit difficult to be in a room for three days. I got
through it with a lot of TV time. There wasn’t much more I could do except
talk to family back home and have a look at TV in free time.”
BSS/SMP/SSS/1820 hrs