St John’s [Antigua], February 24 (ANI): Former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has said that the current West Indies team has a very good chance of winning the ICC T20 World Cup to be held at home and the USA this year. He also revealed his “current favourite player”.
Two-time ICC Men’s T20 World Cup winner Dwayne Bravo believes the West Indies are more than capable of causing a surprise and claiming a third title at this year’s event in June.
Bravo played a major role in helping the Caribbean side to their two Men’s T20 World Cup titles to date in 2012 and 2016 and the former star all-rounder thinks the current West Indies side can prosper despite a lack of form in the last two editions of the 20-over showcase.
The West Indies managed just one victory at the 2021 T20 World Cup in Oman and the United Arab Emirates and then failed to qualify for the Super 12s stage at the most recent tournament in Australia 12 months later.
But Bravo has been buoyed by the West Indies’ recent form – they have defeated South Africa, India and England in the T20I series during the last 12 months – and think they can cause a splash when they co-host this year’s event with the USA in June.
“I honestly think this West Indies team is a very good chance (of winning),” Bravo said on Thursday in New York, according to ICC, as part of the celebrations to mark 100 days to go for the start of this year’s T20 World Cup.
“This current group of players is one of the better squads put together for a long time and I believe they have a very good chance. The people in the Caribbean will go out in their numbers and support them and winning a trophy is very important.”
“Speaking from experience, winning the World Cup on two occasions is one of the best feelings for my entire career so hopefully this group can do it.”
While Chris Gayle has two T20I centuries to his name and is currently the leading run-scorer in the format for the Caribbean side, top-order batter Nicholas Pooran is not far behind and is expected to be pivotal to their chances of winning a third T20 World Cup this year.
Pooran is ranked 16th on the Men’s T20I Batter Rankings and Bravo believes the hard-hitting left-hander can finish among the leading run-scorers at this year’s event.
“My current favourite player at the moment is Nicholas Pooran. I believe he has the ability to score big runs and with the form he is in and the experience he has gained over the years…he is a player that can play spin well, play fast bowling well and is very used to the Caribbean conditions,” said Bravo.
In 88 T20Is, Pooran has scored 1,848 runs at an average of 25.66 and a strike rate of over 134, with 11 half-centuries in 80 innings. His best score is 82.
Pooran is a highly in-demand player in T20 leagues across the world. In 313 T20 matches, Pooran has scored 6,487 runs at an average of 26.36 and a strike rate of above 145. He has scored two centuries and 36 fifties in 290 innings. His best score is 102*.
West Indies are placed in Group C in the tournament with New Zealand, Afghanistan, Uganda and Papua New Guinea. The tournament starts on June 1 and West Indies’ first match is against Papua New Guinea on June 2. (ANI)
