Fort Lauderdale, Florida – Sunil Narine said he was “still high on confidence” as he prepared to face New Zealand in the Digicel Twenty20 International Series in the United States this weekend.
Sunil Narine. Photo: Johnny Jno Baptiste
The fledgling off-spinner found the going a bit tough on the recent trip to England, but is sure he will bounce back against the Black Caps.
“It’s a matter of confidence and I’m feeling quite confident as we get ready for the weekend,” said Narine.
“I didn’t do as well as I hoped in England, but there is still a lot left in me. I know the areas which I have to work on. Basically, it’s just a matter of going back and looking at what I did well against Australia.”
The 24-year-old was sensational against Australia earlier this year and West Indies tied the Digicel One-day International Series 2-2 with the World’s top-ranked ODI side.
He also performed well in the Digicel T20I Series against the Aussies which ended level 1-1.
Narine was the leading wicket-taker in the ODIs, with 11 wickets in five matches at an average of 14.45 each last March.
Last month, he was equally brilliant and was named Most Valuable Player of the Indian Premier League, as he bowled Kolkata Knight Riders to the title.
This weekend will be Narine’s first time playing cricket in the United States.
The Windies arrived to warm summer weather in south Florida, a significant difference from the wet, chilly conditions they experienced in England.
He said there was a lot to “see and do”, but the team remained focussed on the business ahead this weekend, as they looked forward to being part of history and winning the two matches.
“We arrived in America on Monday and we have settled in well,” he said.
“There is a lot of hype around and it looks like this weekend will be ‘big’. I’m just looking to enjoy the moment. As a team we are feeling quite relaxed and we are building towards the matches.”
Narine said: “We have some good players in our team who have done well in this format in various parts of the World, and we if we play up to our potential we can make it very difficult for New Zealand.
“We are keeping focussed on the job that’s required. When Saturday comes we will be ready.”
