The West Indies won the recently concluded ODI series against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) 3-0. Before the ODI World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe, this will undoubtedly bolster their confidence, as the two-time 50-over World Champions will be aiming to advance to the competition’s main round.
Notably, the team commanded by Shai Hope utilised the series to determine their starting eleven for the competition. Top-order batter Brandon King, who scored 176 runs in two games and was named Player of the Series, was one of the most remarkable players in the series. The cricketer praised the team’s management for providing him with confidence and trusting him to execute his shots.
The team has entrusted me to play my strokes, and I have been maintaining my game. The reign of Brandon King
“It was satisfying to score a century, but this is all part of the process. The team has entrusted me to take my chances as I have been executing my game plan. It appeared promising for another hundred, but it did not occur. They presented a formidable challenge, as this is their home and they bowl better than us on this pitch. Cricbuzz quoted Hope as saying, “I always enjoy coming to the UAE and playing here.”
Notably, in the third and final ODI of the series, the away team benched some of their regular players in order to evaluate their depth. The Muhammad Waseem-led side posted 184 runs after Vriitya Aravind scored 70 off 75 balls while batting first. However, the UAE was unable to capitalise on the opportunity. Kevin Sinclair and Yannic Cariah each took four wickets to derail the UAE. Alick Athanaze played a crucial innings of 65 off 45 balls as the West Indies triumphed by four wickets in the chase.