“We're finding ways to lose games” - West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran admits ahead of 3rd ODI against India

Nicholas Pooran feels West Indies are finding ways to lose ODIs and conceded that the hosts are hurt after failing to get over the line against India. He, however, asserted that the setbacks haven’t affected the confidence of the Windies players, who are ready to keep fighting and challenging themselves.

West Indies were in with a genuine chance of winning the first two ODIs against India. However, they faltered at the very end, losing the first match by three runs and the second by two wickets. The two defeats extended Windies’ losing streak in ODIs to eight games.

Having already lost the three-match series, West Indies will now be keen to avoid a whitewash. Speaking ahead of the third ODI, which will be played on Wednesday (July 27), Pooran remained positive and said:

"The confidence level is there. The guys are obviously hurt. Those two losses obviously hurt us a lot but that's another game and that's another experience and another opportunity for us to learn. This game keeps teaching us different things and I'm just happy that we've had that experience.”

Pooran added:

"I keep telling winning and losing is contagious and at the moment in ODI cricket we're losing and we're finding ways to lose games, but in terms of the confidence level all the guys are ready for the challenge again. We're ready to come out there and put our hearts and souls out there and perform together as a team."

The 26-year-old further stated that the Windies ODI team is still a work in progress, adding that they are looking to figure out what works best for them. Pooran explained:

"We're just starting to obviously put performances together. I don't want to come to a conclusion and say our batting is our strength or our bowling is our strength. As a team we're still figuring it out.

"We haven't put a collective effort together yet, obviously the results haven't shown that yet, but the more games we play as a unit, we're going to figure it out and we're close to crossing the line and actually figuring it out what is our strength as a team.”

West Indies have done well with the bat in the ODIs against India. They scored 305 for six while chasing 309 in the first game and put up 311 for six, batting first in the second match.

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“His role has remained the same for the last five years” - Pooran on Shai Hope

While opener Shai Hope scored a hundred in his 100th ODI on Sunday (July 24), there has been some criticism over his strike rate. The experienced Windies batter ended up scoring 115 in 135 balls.

Pooran, however, backed Hope and said:

"His role has remained the same for the last five years. I think he just needs to bat and bat through. He doesn't need to study about the strike rate or any other thing. He just needs to be out there for the team. We know once he's there, he's going to score runs for us and that is what matters the most.”

Hope has 13 hundreds to his name in 100 ODIs, but his career strike rate is 75.12, a facet of his game which has divided opinion.

Meanwhile, Pooran also confirmed that hard-hitting batter Shimron Hetmyer has cleared a fitness test and will be available for selection in the near future. The West Indies captain revealed:

"He [Hetmyer] passed his fitness test, which is wonderful news. So, we expect him to see him back as soon as possible. I can't tell you exactly when because I'm not sure, but as soon as possible and as soon as you can get him on the field."

Hetmyer hasn’t represented West Indies since the T20 World Cup in the UAE last year.

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