There Have Been A Lot Of Negative Things Written About Us: Kieron Pollard After T20I Series Win Against England
Published - 31 Jan 2022, 05:26 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:04 AM
West Indies limited-overs skipper Kieron Pollard credited his players for bouncing back against England in the five-match T20I series.
On Monday, West Indies handed England a 17-run defeat in the fifth T20I match at the Kensington Oval in Barbados as they clinched the series 3-2.
Jason Holder picks four in four as West Indies beat England 3-2 in the T20I series
West Indies all-rounder Jason Holder bowled magnificently as he claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in the shortest format.
Holder had the task of defending 20 runs in the final over of the game with Sam Billings and Chris Jordan batting at the crease.
Holder started the over with a no-ball but denied Jordan a big hit off a free-hit ball. In a surprising comeback, Holder picked four wickets in four balls to complete his hat-trick and bowl out England for 162.
Earlier skipper Pollard (41*) and Rovman Powell (35*) powered West Indies to a sizeable total of 179/4 in the first innings.
West Indies had a difficult period in the last three months, first, they went through a devastating campaign in the T20 World Cup 2021 in the UAE. Despite being touted as favourites to defend their title, the Windies could just manage one win against Bangladesh in Group 1.
West Indies were whitewashed 0-3 by Pakistan in the T20I series last month before they lost the ODI series 1-2 to Ireland.
Many have given up on this team: Kieron Pollard
Pollard said the T20I series triumph over England will boost the confidence of their dressing room. The West Indies skipper also said that many people had stopped expecting from his team after they were going through a tough period.
“It’s wonderful. Many have given up on this team, but every single individual has rallied around.
“There have been a lot of negative things written about us, but this win is for everyone out in the dressing room. They have worked tirelessly coming from Jamaica (after the Ireland series) and have bounced back pretty well,” Pollard said in the post-match presentation.
“We now have an understanding as to how to get the game going. We have come close to winning several times before, but came short at times.
“We have learnt from all these things. This was a virtual final, so runs on the board are crucial. Whatever (total) we get, we can add 10-15 runs tagged to the pressure,” he added.
West Indies will tour India to play three ODI matches and as many T20 Internationals, the series begins with the first ODI on February 6 in Ahmedabad.
