NZ v WI 2020: West Indies T20 skipper Kieron Pollard compares isolation experience to Alcatraz, says relieved to be out

West Indies T20I skipper Kieron Pollard said he is relieved to be finally out of the isolation facility. He sent a message to the friends and family members of the entire West Indies squad through a video posted on the Twitter handle of Cricket West Indies, saying that they are finally out of ‘Alcatraz’.

The players in the West Indies squad who were part of the IPL had arrived late in New Zealand and completed the 14-day mandatory isolation on Wednesday. They have now joined the rest of the team who had arrived much earlier in New Zealand.

“I don’t think we have enough time or enough words to describe how we feel, but all is well that ends well. Some of our friends and family members were asking how we were doing because they were not seeing us or hearing anything about us. We were in Alcatraz, but, now we are out.” Kieron Pollard said in the video.

Alcatraz is an infamous rocky island in California which was used to host a top-security federal prison between the mid-1930s and the mid-1960s.

ARRIVAL: FINALLY, the #MenInMaroon players who participated in the IPL have joined the rest of the squad in Auckland! Skipper, Kieron Pollard, is relieved to be out of quarantine! 😅#NZvWI #WIReady 🏏🌴 pic.twitter.com/nGQ8eIj6JX

— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) November 26, 2020

Six players join the West Indies squad just a day before the first T20I

As many as seven West Indies players including T20I skipper Kieron Pollard, Test captain Jason Holder, Fabian Allen, Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul, Nicholas Pooran and Oshane Thomas were part of the IPL, and joined the rest of the team on Thursday.

While six players joined the T20I squad at Auckland, Jason Holder has travelled to Queenstown for the practice match ahead of the Test series.

West Indies T20I players are out of quarantine and fly to Auckland for Friday's 1st T20I.#NZvWI #TeamWI #MenInMaroon Read More⬇️https://t.co/gpwnotN8Wf pic.twitter.com/fElMKkZTtY

— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) November 25, 2020

Kieron Pollard stated that not all the players in the group have had games under their belt in the IPL, but “it is what it is”.

“Some guys were playing cricket and some guys weren’t, they were just around the IPL teams. But having said that, it is what it is. It is a matter of using your mental strength and coming out and putting these things behind you […] Now we are out and looking forward to a couple of practice sessions."

The first T20I will be played at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday, before the action moves to the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui for the remaining T20Is.

NZ v WI 2020: Most wickets, most runs and other numbers to watch out for in T20Is