KARACHI, Pakistan, CMC – Experienced fast bowler Shamilia Connell says a clean sweep of the three-match series against Pakistan today will be vital to West Indies Women’s momentum, as they head into the all-important ICC World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe.
West Indies Women won the opening One-Day International by 45 runs and the second by 37 runs, to complete their first away series victory in five years.
With the World Cup qualifiers set to run from November 21 to December 5, Connell said a clean sweep would invigorate the tourists.
“We’ve been working hard [towards a clean sweep]. The girls have been in the nets trying to do their best – they’ve been going from strength to strength,” the 29-year-old Connell told reporters.
“We know we kind of [usually] slacken up [in] the last game most of the time, so we’re just looking to close out the series with a win and clean sweep against Pakistan at home.”
She added: “The mood is very good. It’s a historic series win against Pakistan so the mood is very good and we just want to back that up heading into the qualifiers, finish the series with a win and just look to qualify for the World Cup next year in New Zealand.”
Despite the series success, West Indies have produced contrasting performances especially with the bat.
In the opening ODI, they mustered 253 with Deandra Dottin hitting a career-best 132 but could only post 153 in the second match, the bowling coming to their rescue to secure the series.
While acknowledging the inconsistency, Connell said the squad had learnt vital lessons from both matches.
“We didn’t get the start we wanted in the second game. We were looking to back up the second we got in the first [ODI] so we’ve had to do some regrouping,” she explained.
“Going into the third game, we’re looking to improve in all areas – batting, bowling and fielding – and just continue building on that.”
She continued: “[We learned] just to keep pushing, just to keep fighting and never give up. You never know what can happen because cricket is played on the day. Once you get in, you never let anyone else in.”
The Caribbean side’s bowling has been outstanding, however, off-spinner Hayley Matthews leading the way with seven wickets.
Connell also made her presence felt in the last ODI, snatching career-best figures of three for 18 from nine overs, to help West Indies Women defend their small total.
The results against Pakistan represent a turnaround from the previous series in the Caribbean when West Indies Women suffered a 4-1 drubbing, and Connell said unity in the camp had been key to the revival.
“We didn’t have the series we wanted against South Africa so we went back to the drawing board and we said we have to just look to push each other, build and try to be each other’s company,” she said.
“Life in the bubble is very hard and we said we just have to go out there and just be there for each other.”
