Dhaka, Bangladesh – Kieron Pollard is set to make a return to West Indies colours on Thursday. The big allrounder spent all of Wednesday afternoon in the nets at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium and he is eager to make an impact against Bangladesh in the first One-Day International.
First ball on Thursday is 1.30 pm (3.30 am Eastern Caribbean Time/2.30 am Jamaica Time).
Speaking ahead of the match Pollard outlined how vitally important it is for the Windies to put Tuesday’s T20 defeat behind them. He said: "I am a confident man anytime I step on to the cricket field. In the last series against India [in the West Indies] it wasn’t too bad. I felt I played pretty well. Hopefully I can just go out there and deliver for the team. You never know, maybe I can score three hundreds against Bangladesh.
"I also know I have a job to do with the ball and in the outfield. I enjoy being on the cricket field, knowing that an all-rounder, I can contribute in several areas – with a crucial wicket, a catch or a smart piece of fielding. So whatever I’m called on to do I’m ready to make a contribution.
He added: "Bangladesh played well in the Twenty20 match but it could have gone either way there at the end. The 50-over matches will be a test of character of each team and as a team we are confident going into the game. We have done a post mortem and the guys know where they made the errors. We will look to correct it and come back stronger."
Pollard is one of the game’s leading power-hitters and is also a clever medium-pacer and sharp fielder. Before he joined the Windies in Dhaka he was in India playing for Champions League champions Mumbai Indians.
"You have to go there and play to the situation … according to what the pitch is doing. As a batsman you have to assess it properly. The wickets here are slow, the wickets in India were slow as well. I played a lot of games in Chennai where the wicket was slow. So actually it’s it will be the same sort of wicket here in Bangladesh."
"It’s a new series and it’s 11 against 11. Once we do the basics right I believe we have a good enough team to beat Bangladesh. But we have to go out and play hard cricket. Everyone is ready."
FULL SQUAD: Darren Sammy (Captain), Adrian Barath, Devendra Bishoo, Carlos Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Danza Hyatt, Anthony Martin, Kieron Pollard, Keiran Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons
Upcoming matches
October 13: 1st ODI at Dhaka
October 15: 2nd ODI at Dhaka
October 18: 3rd ODI at Chittagong
October 21-25: 1st Test at Chittagong
October 29-November 3: 2nd Test at Dhaka
Venues:Dhaka – She-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka
Chittagong – Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong