UNHELPFUL batting pitches and bad luck with the toss were the biggest challenges faced by the West Indies team during their 3-0 One Day International (ODI) series sweep to Bangladesh at Providence Stadium, Guyana on Saturday.
So said ODI team captain Nicholas Pooran, as he called for better batting pitches in the Caribbean; a main contributor to the home team's defeat to Bangladesh. The WI have now lost 11 straight ODIs against the Bangladeshis
WI also lost the toss in every match, were sent in to bat first each time and restricted to low scores of 149/9, 108 and 178 respectively.
'I don't know if the captains have any say in preparations of pitches but I guess it's not that difficult to see that we want good cricket pitches. You don't need scientists to see that,' Pooran said to media after the match.
'We know for a fact that every time we do get good batting pitches in the Caribbean, we as a batting group have been doing well. Not only batting wickets and better cricket pitches but a 9.30 am start is challenging with a lot of moisture on the wicket.
'And that has been our biggest challenge for us. The toss has not been in our favour for the last six ODI games in the Caribbean and we've lost all six and I believe that the toss played a big role.'
Pooran said the unfavourable batting pitch at Providence were not helping the team but 'frustrating' them.
He continued, 'It doesn't matter who you bring into the team, they're going to struggle on wickets like this. But we need to work on getting wickets with new ball, getting wickets in the middle and as a batting group, try to bat 50 overs. That's the game plan for us.'
Pooran said they did not set any initial batting target but they hoped their odds would be different after losing their third toss in a row.
He was pleased to score his ninth ODI half century, as he hit 73 from 109 balls, but downplayed the achievement since it did not amount to a win.
'We weren't looking at any target. We just tried to assess the wicket as fast as possible and then we would have tried to make a decision. Our goal was to bat 50 overs and fell short by one over today.
'I was not getting the scores but I've been batting really good. Yes I might feel good that I scored some runs but we just lost a series 3-0 so it doesn't really matter to me. I feel I have been contributing a lot with the bat in different formats as well.
'I'm a bit relieved that I got a half century after some games and I'm looking forward to more. But it was more important for us to win it,' he added.
Pooran also said the maroon bowling attack missed Guyanese pacer Keemo Paul, who contracted covid19 before the series, and pulled a hamstring on Saturday.
'I definitely felt that we had a really good chance," said Pooran. "We knew the wicket would have gotten better as well. But losing Keemo Paul there was big for us, especially here in Providence.
'I'm not going to kill the guys. I think we had a chance to win the game with 178 but with one bowler short and myself having to bowl seven overs,
