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“We will have a similar approach”
– Athanaze says batsmen will continue to be aggressive against Pakistan spinners in second Test
SportsMax – West Indies middle-order batsman Alick Athanaze expects the team to employ the same aggressive approach with the bat in the second Test against Pakistan beginning on Saturday in Multan despite a crushing 127-run defeat in the first Test at the same venue.
The tourists were bowled out for 137 and 123 last week on a pitch that can only be described as a spinner’s paradise, conditions they will most likely encounter once again.
Pakistani spinners Sajid Khan, Noman Ali and Abrar Ahmed combined to take all 20 West Indian wickets over the three-day contest, with West Indian spinners also having success, most notably Jomel Warrican who took 10 wickets in the game including a career-best 7-32 in the second innings.
In an attempt to combat the dominant spin attack of the hosts, the West Indians adopted an aggressive strategy of batting including sweeps and reverse sweeps with a low rate of success.
Alick Athanaze expects the team to employ the same aggressive approach with the bat in the second Test against Pakistan.
Despite that, many believe this might be the West Indies’ best chance of getting the upper hand on the dominant Pakistan spinners.
Middle order batsman Alick Athanaze, speaking in a pre-match press conference on Thursday, says the key for the West Indies will be to execute better.
“I think it was entirely about execution, to be honest. If we look at most of the guys that scored runs on the wicket, they played a lot of sweeps and they played aggressively. It only looked that way because I think we didn’t execute as well as we wanted to,” Athanaze said.
“I think we will have a similar approach in terms of playing our sweeps and playing our shots. Obviously, we’ll have to assess conditions first but that would be the approach,” he added.
It wasn’t a bad match for Athanaze, individually. He was the only West Indies batsman to score a half-century in the game with his 55 in the second innings.
In fact, he was one of only three batsmen to pass 20 for the regional side, with the other two being bowlers Jomel Warrican and Jayden Seales with their scores of 31* and 22 in the first innings.
“Obviously runs under your belt as a batsman is currency and that is what makes you feel good,” said Athanaze.
“I’ve felt good since the practice match so I’m not short of confidence, I would say. I’m feeling good,” he added.
He shared the advice he’s given to the batting unit heading into the second Test, once again emphasizing the use of horizontal bat shots.
“I think the wicket suits my game. I’m a sweeper so my suggestion to the other batters would be to try to execute and look at the ball a bit longer. It is difficult to bat on the wickets here, no doubt, but I guess just trust your defense and work on your sweeps and reverse sweeps,” he said.
The Dominican also gave credit to Pakistan’s bowlers, noting that the regional side have to find a way to get one step ahead of them.
“They understand their conditions very well and have world class bowlers. We have to just try to get them off their game and think one step ahead all the time. Get in their head, see what they’re trying to do to us and combat that,” he said.
Time will tell whether or not the West Indian batsmen can execute the way they need to in those conditions.
(“We will have a similar approach”)
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