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WEST Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite is counting on the batting unit to bounce back against Pakistan after a below-par showing against South Africa which led to a 2-0 series defeat for the regional team.
The first Test between West Indies and Pakistan in the Betway series will bowl off at Sabina Park in Jamaica, on Thursday, at 11 am TT time (10 am Jamaica time).
The second and final Test will also be played at Sabina Park from August 20.
The Windies batsmen were woeful in a two-match Test series against South Africa at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia in June. West Indies failed to score 200 during the series.
In the first Test match, West Indies suffered a massive defeat by an innings and 63 runs after posting 97 in the first innings and 162 in the second innings.
West Indies only improved slightly in the second Test with scores of 149 and 165 which gave the South Africans a comfortable 158-run victory.
Roston Chase and Kieran Powell were the only two West Indies batsmen to score a half-century during the series. Chase cracked 62 in the first Test and Powell struck 51 in the second Test.
West Indies are trying to find the winning formula again which saw the team defeat Bangladesh 2-0 in a two-match series in Bangladesh at the start of 2021. Following that series, West Indies and Sri Lanka drew a two-match Test series 0-0 in Antigua.
“I think the batting obviously let us down in the last series (against South Africa) and as I said we had a really good camp,” Braithwaite told journalists on Zoom, on Wednesday.
“All the guys are in the right space. I will not be worrying about the opposition, (but) I think once we take care of our plans and be disciplined especially as batsmen (we should be successful) because we let ourselves down. I think once we do that we will be good for sure, just have that belief as batsmen and come to the party and put scores on the board, spend time. That will put the team in great positions to win Test matches.”
Experienced fast bowler Shannon Gabriel will not be available for the series, but Brathwaite believes in the other pacers including Kemar Roach, Alzarri Joseph, Jayden Seales and Jason Holder.
Brathwaite said the team should cope without Gabriel.
“I am not concerned at all. We have some quality fast bowlers. Obviously Kemar and Jason is there up front to Jayden to Chemar to Alzarri and we have quality spinners as well, so I am confident, to be honest, confident for sure.”
Seasoned campaigner Darren Bravo has been given a break. A Cricket West Indies media release on Monday said, “Shannon Gabriel has been given time to rehab fully (from a leg injury) and build his conditioning, so he was not part of the preparations for the Test series against Pakistan, which included the Best v Best game. Darren Bravo has been part of the ‘bubble’ from the preparation camp leading into the Betway Test series against South Africa and has been given a break.”

West Indies

Squad

Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Jermaine Blackwood (vice-captain), Nkrumah Bonner, Roston Chase, Joshua Da Silva, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Jomel Warrican

Travelling Reserves

Shamarh Brooks, Rahkeem Cornwall, Jahmar Hamilton, Chemar Holder

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