Though hoping for a recall to the West Indies setup, Trinidad and Tobago’s Khary Pierre is intent on letting his performances dictate any future selection as his primary focus remains on helping the Red Force break their lengthy West Indies Championship title drought.
With Trinidad and Tobago’s last title coming back in 2006, the left-arm spinner, who currently heads the bowling charts with 31 wickets, is determined to not only maintain his rich form but also to assist the Red Force to finish on a high and with hopes that the title will come with it.
The Red Force sit second on the eight-team table with 101 points, trailing only defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles (102.6 points) with two rounds of matches to come. In those two rounds, the Red Force will host Jamaica Scorpions from April 2-5 at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, with a potential title-decider against Guyana to follow from April 9-12 at the Queen's Park Oval.
“I have been doing well so far this season. I was also doing well in previous years, but I just believe it's my year. I think God's timing is the best timing, and I'm just reaping the rewards of that,” Pierre said in a recent interview.
Reflecting on his evolving role within the team, Pierre, 33, pointed out that in past seasons, his focus was on keeping things tight while Trinidad and Tobago’s former top spinner Imran Khan led the attack. This year, however, he has embraced the responsibility of taking wickets.
“This year is actually my year to pick up wickets for the team, and I'm just doing that to the best of my ability. As a spinner, you want to deceive the batsman as best as possible...it's all about (the) varying of pace, length, and all that you're supposed to do as a (spinner),” he explained.
Pierre acknowledged that key pacers Anderson Phillip and Jayden Seales will be big misses for their final two matches, as both are on English County Championship duty. However, he expressed confidence in the team’s ability to maintain their winning form.
“We were without (Phillip and Seales) in the first couple of games because of West Indies duty, so it's just about doing the same things we were doing. Everyone has to pull their weight. It's not going to be about one or two bowlers. They want the best for us too, and it's just about going out there and winning it for them, the country, and our supporters,” Pierre said.
That said, Pierre credited coach Emrit and captain Joshua Da Silva for instilling a strong team culture, as she emphasized that players are motivated by each other’s success.
“We can't relax. We just have to keep playing the good cricket we're playing. We have to win these two games and try to win this title, which has been evading us for nearly two decades,” he noted.
Having last played for the West Indies in January 2020 during a T20 series against Ireland, Pierre remains hopeful about a return.
“Getting a West Indies recall has never left my mind since the games I played before. I always want to represent West Indies. I'm doing my best and letting my performances do the talking. God's timing is the best timing. If I get the (Windies) call, I'd be happy. It will be a great feeling and a great moment for me. But for now, I'm focused on TT and trying to win this title,” Pierre declared.