World T20: Pollard confident WI can win big to keep semi-final hopes alive

Despite their dwindling hopes of a semi-final spot, West Indies captain Kieron Pollard is confident the players can not only win the remaining two matches, but win them by big enough margins to boost their net run rate with the slim hopes of qualifying to the semi-finals of the ongoing World T20 in the United Arab Emirates.

West Indies, on two points from three matches, have a net run rate of -1.598, the worst among the teams in the group who are still in contention for a spot in the semi-finals.

But as they face Sri Lanka on Thursday, captain Pollard is upbeat that there is still great self-belief the job can be done.

“It is an opportunity now that guys can sort of take off the shackles that have sort of been holding us back in terms of our batting performance and there is no secret about that. It is very important we win the cricket and all the other opportunities around it as well.”

While West Indies would also need also results to go their way, he re-emphasised nothing is impossible to accomplish.

“In this thing called life and sport, nothing is impossible; what I can safely say is yes, the guys are confident [and] we know what I needed from a run rate perspective and we will take all things into consideration when that match starts,” the skipper expressed on the eve of the all-important clash.

Pollard, who suffered a thigh injury in the team’s last match against Bangladesh, and could not take the field, said he is feeling “pretty good” after training over the last couple of days.

West Indies got the better of the Sri Lankans when they toured the Caribbean earlier the year, but the skipper is conscious it is a different squad in different circumstances and he is up for the challenge.

“We don’t back down from a challenge, we don’t hide from certain things. We accept when things have gone badly and we also accept the applauds when doing well.”

Match time on Thursday is 10:00h.

West Indies squad: Kieron Pollard (captain), Nicholas Pooran, Dwayne Bravo, Roston Chase, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein

Sri Lanka squad: Dasun Shanaka (captain), Kusal Janith Perera, Dinesh Chandimal, Dhananjaya De Silva, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Chamika Karunaratne, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara, Maheesh Theekshana, Akila Dananjaya, Binura Fernando.