KING...it's really about that and trying to finalize everybody's roles and responsibilities going into the World Cup.
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Half of their respective squads might be unavailable, but that doesn’t make the three-match warm-up series between West Indies and South Africa any less important, and both will be hoping to make a statement heading into the ICC Men’s Twenty20 (T20) World Cup.
Rovman Powell, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran, Sherfane Rutherford, Jason Holder, Andre Russell and Alzarri Joseph are out for West Indies, while Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada for South Africa. Though all are not still engaged in the Indian Premier League (IPL), some, like Pooran and Hope, are being rested and others, like Rabada, are recovering from illness.
Still, the upside to the contests is that discarded players, and those out-of-form players in the squad, now have an opportunity to convince their coaches –albeit for Thursday’s first game at Sabina Park – as the ICC expects all confirmed squads on Saturday, May 25.
First ball is 2:00pm.
Brandon King, who has been charged with leading the depleted West Indies side, knows that much and, as such, is expecting players to show their worth ahead of the June 1-29 global showpiece to be held in the Caribbean and United States.
Kyle Mayers is one of those discarded players. The Barbadian scored no T20I fifties in 11 innings since touring South Africa in 2023 and was dropped thereafter, but made 243 runs in six innings at the BPL and boasts a T20 strike rate above 150 this year and above 143 from 40 matches last year. With power-hitting among the most talked-about attributes of top-order batters, this is his chance to show he still has it.
Kyle Mayers showed some semblance of form in the BPL.
From a bowling perspective, the likes of Obed McCoy, one of the highest wicket takers in T20Is this year, found no space in a squad that has Alzarri and Shamar Joseph, Russell, Holder and Shepherd. He has an opportunity to show what he can do in home conditions.
“Obviously, it is the last series leading up to the World Cup, so we're looking to implement how we want to play in the World Cup in these three games. So it's really about that and trying to finalize everybody's roles and responsibilities going into the World,” King said in a pre-game press conference at Sabina Park, on Wednesday.
“I’ve had discussions with the coaches and with the other captain [Rovman Powell] and we have specific roles for each player that we would like them to go out and perform and, as I said, we're looking to start that in this series,” he added.
Though it will be his first time leading the regional side on home soil, and the first international game at Sabina Park in a while, King said there is no added pressure.
“Personally, I don't feel any added pressure, I like to be very positive thinking towards these things. It'll be a great memory looking back when you think about it. So, obviously we want to win the games for the fans, but it's just more excitement than pressure,” King declared.
Obed McCoy one of the highest wicket takers in T20Is this year.
“We've been preparing even before this series; we're coming from a training camp as well, so we've gotten a lot of volume in terms of training, so this is just to get some match practice leading up to the World Cup. The guys that are missing are also very experienced players, we've been playing series for the past two years, so their roles I don't think would have changed much and they will fit in when they come,” he shared.
While West Indies came away 2-1 winners in the last three-match series between the two in South Africa, King is by no means expecting their opponents to be even more formidable on this occasion, as they too have much to prove.
“They're a very good team. If you look at the players that they have on paper, it is a really solid eleven that they have, so, we have to be at the top of your game. It's not a team where you can relax or anything because they also play an aggressive brand of cricket, a very positive, confident brand of cricket.
“So, I would say we're looking to exploit our home advantage in this series. The, last time we played in their conditions and we end up winning and so it would be even more positive playing at home,” King noted.
That said, King pointed out that members of the team, like the many fans around the Caribbean and around the world, are eager to see what uncapped West Indies pacer Shamar Joseph has to offer in the game’s shortest version.
The 24-year-old Guyanese rose to prominence after his heroics during the Test series against Australia earlier this year.
“We're also very excited to see what he has. You'll definitely see him in this series at some point, but we're all excited to see what he has to offer,” King ended.
Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.
Hubert Busby aims to build on positives after Reggae Girlz two-match triumph over South Africa
Jamaica’s Head coach, Hubert Busby, took heart from a successful two-match friendly series against South Africa, as he intends to use the victories as a foundation to sharpen his Reggae Girlz ahead of critical future competitions.
The Reggae Girlz, who dominated the first match with a 3-0 win last Friday, followed up with a hard-fought 3-2 victory in the second match on Monday at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in Catherine Hall.
Goals from Vyan Sampson (58th), Drew Spence (63rd), and substitute Kayla McKenna (76th) overturned Linda Motlhalo’s 19th-minute opener and rendered Amogeland Motau’s added-time strike inconsequential.
For Busby, the series wasn’t just about securing wins but about testing the squad in challenging scenarios.
This, as he pointed out that the quick turnaround between matches posed a physical challenge for both teams, but in the same breath, stressed the importance of resilience and adaptability, particularly after a lackluster first half in the second game.
“Yeah, I mean, look, the quick turnaround for both teams was always going to be a little bit tedious. You could see that a little bit in the first half—us trying to find our legs a bit. Credit to the medical and high-performance staff for getting the players ready,” Busby said post-match.
“These games are why we play them. We're going to be put in stressful situations; I wouldn't like it to be as stressful in the 90th minute, but that's football, you know, and credit to the team for how they responded and were worthy winners in the end,” he added.
Busby credited late adjustments for the team’s second-half resurgence after a lukewarm first half. They struggled to find rhythm and squandered a few half chances against a more confident-looking South African outfit that moved the ball well on this occasion.
“We recognized how they were building their play, so we spoke about it at halftime and showed the players what we wanted to do in terms of pressing higher. They responded really well, and those adjustments and then the impetus of players to carry out those instructions is really why we were able to turn around the game in the second half,” he explained.
Despite the team’s offensive prowess, Busby admitted disappointment at failing to maintain a clean sheet.
“Keeping a clean sheet is about the whole team and shows a good defensive performance. Overall, I still think we played well, but football is about moments. We have to manage those moments better because quality opposition at this level will punish you if we don’t. So it’s another chance for us to learn, grow, and take it into the next window,” he said.
The tactician also addressed the absence of veteran Tiffany Cameron, explaining that the decision allowed younger players to gain valuable experience as they aim to balance development and performance.
“Everybody here is ready. This camp was about evaluating players and seeing how they handle stressful situations. Tiffany is a veteran, so we know what she brings. But it’s also about embedding younger players into the group because it is us building a programme so that we can go to this 2027 World Cup and consecutive World Cups thereafter,” he stated.
With the February international window next in their line of sight, Busby is already planning for tougher tests to further prepare the team for the World Cup qualifiers.
“Plans are already in place to get an opposition. We’ve had conversations with different federations, and we’ll confirm that in the next four to five weeks. Another quality opposition that is going to test us in a stressful environment will make us better for World Cup qualifiers,” he ended.
Meanwhile, 19-year-old goalkeeper Liya Brooks, who earned her first two caps during the series, welcomed the opportunity.
“For me, it was kind of like a weight lifted off my shoulders. I knew the team had my back, and that made it easier. I'll say that I feel like my communication with my team is quite solid, and I feel like that's probably the most important thing.
“Moving forward, it’s about getting comfortable and learning my teammates individually. Also to make sure that I'm locked in and focused for every ball played back, and just making sure that I take time to breathe and live in the moment and also ensure that I'm confident in what I'm doing,” Brooks shared.
Sufiyan's record-breaking five-for seals T20I series for Pakistan
Sufiyan Muqeem took career-best figures of 5-3 as Pakistan thrashed Zimbabwe by 10 wickets to clinch their three-match T20I series with a match to spare on Tuesday.
After electing to bat first, Zimbabwe were bundled out for just 57 runs in 12.4 overs, their lowest-ever score in the format, beating the 84 they scored against Sri Lanka in January.
Opening duo Brian Bennett (21) and Tadiwanashe Marumani (16) top-scored for the hosts, but when the former fell to Muhammad Abbas Afridi (2-2), their capitulation began.
The hosts lost four wickets in quick succession, including Ryan Burl (1) and Tashinga Musekiwa (0) in consecutive deliveries from the impressive Sufiyan in the eighth over.
Zimbabwe were only able to add 20 runs to their total following Bennett's dismissal, with Salman Ali Agha (1-7), Haris Rauf (1-13) and Abrar Ahmed (1-21) chipping in for Pakistan.
Pakistan made light work of the chase and reached their target with 87 balls remaining, helped by unbeaten knocks from Omair Bin Yousuf (22) and Saim Ayub (36).
After the tourists also won the first game of the series by 57 runs, the third and final fixture will take place on Thursday at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
Data Debrief: Sufiyan smashes Gul's T20 record
Having won only one of their last eight multi-game bilateral men’s T20I series (D2 L5), Pakistan improved their record in the format with a comprehensive showing on Tuesday.
They recorded their third 10-wicket T20I triumph, needing just 33 balls to reach their target, with the damage already done by Sufiyan with the ball in hand.
In just his seventh T20I for Pakistan, Sufiyan registered the best bowling figures for the team in the short-over format, surpassing Umar Gul's previous record (5-6 - against New Zealand in 2009 and South Africa in 2013).
Adams lauds five-wicket Rana during strong Bangladesh display
Andre Adams lauded Nahid Rana's bowling display as his five-wicket haul helped the tourists take control on the third day of their second Test against the West Indies.
Starting the day 70-1, the West Indies were dismissed for 146, with Rana (5-61) adding four wickets to his total, having caught and bowled out Mikyle Louis (12) on day two.
Keacy Carty (40) top scored for the hosts, with Rana aided in his attack by Hasan Mahmud (2-19), which gave the tourists a lead of 18 runs ahead of their second innings.
Bangladesh rallied from the early loss of Mahmudul Hasan Joy (0), with the Tigers' opener dismissed by Jayden Seales (1-43), who took four wickets in the previous innings.
Shadman Islam (46) and Mehidy Hasan (42) steadied the ship, but both fell to Shamar Joseph (2-70), before Jaker Ali's unbeaten 29 took the tourists past the 200-run lead mark.
At stumps, Bangladesh were 193-5, an advantage of 211 runs with Jaker and Taijul Islam (9) returning to the crease for day four at Sabina Park in Kingston.
"A very good day, really. Very happy with how our bowlers are going. The batting has been different today, but nice to see,"
Given that the highest successful run-chase in a Test match at Sabina Park is just 211, achieved by the West Indies against Sri Lanka in 2003, history would appear to be on the side of the tourists, forcing a series-levelling victory over the final two days.
And Bangladesh have Rana to thank following his maiden five-for, with head coach Adams highlighting the 22-year-old's significant improvements over the last 12 months.
"We knew it was coming at some stage. When you bowl at 150kph you're going to take wickets at some stage. What he has done in the last year is become accurate.
"He's improved on that more. He is very keen, and he has a lot of pace. We just try to give him some instructions and let his instincts take over.
"He's a young bowler, he bowls fast, so you have got to look after his bowling loads.
"He's young but luckily, we have the likes of Taskin and Hasan to help him and a captain like Mehidy."
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