Bravo plans to support power hitters
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (CMC) — Middle order batsman Darren Bravo says he has a plan to maintain a high run rate without taking unnecessary risks when West Indies competes in the ICC World Twenty/20 tournament which began this week in Sri Lanka.
As the West Indian players continue their preparations with a full training session at Colts Cricket Ground Thursday, the free-scoring left-hander says the key to his style of batting is to “play it smart”.
The regional side is preparing to take on Australia in their opening match today.
“I have also been working on a few things in the nets. The aim is always to get better at what you do,” said the 23-year-old cricketer.
“If you keep it simple and play it smart you will get success. I always look to work the ball into the gaps and keep it ticking.”
The West Indies have assembled some of the leading power-hitters of the modern era in their 15-man squad for the tournament.
They include Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard, two of the world’s leading players in Twenty/20 cricket.
However, Bravo has conceded that his role in the West Indies innings may be different from the likes of Gayle and Pollard.
“It is important that I continue doing what I have been doing and that I believe in myself. As long as I do that I know I can get the job done for the team,” added Bravo, who wears the Windies Number 46 jersey.
“It is very important for me to understand my role and responsibility in the team set-up. There are a lot of power-hitters in the team, so it is important that when I get my chance, I look to settle down and bat around the others. It is something that the coach and myself, we spoke about, and I am quite settled with the role I have to play.”
The regional side has been drawn in Group B alongside Australia and Ireland and both first round matches will be at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
“People tend to think that 20 overs is not a lot of overs, but I tend to look at it as balls — there are 120 balls in an innings and that is a lot of balls when you think about it,” said Bravo.
“If I go in with 100 balls to go, I think that gives me the best possible chance to get a good start and manoeuvre the ball into the spaces.”
