With not only their series against Pakistan on the line but automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup, West Indies all-rounder Roston Chase says it’s important that they get maximum points from every ODI they play going forward.
Chase hit a match-winning, unbeaten 49 at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium on Sunday that carried the regional side to a five-wicket win over Pakistan in the second ODI and levelled the three-match series at 1-1.
The win also helped the Windies jump from 10th to ninth in the ICC’s ODI rankings, the final automatic qualification spot for the 2027 Cricket World Cup.
Speaking in a post-match interview following his heroics, Chase said that while the West Indies was focused on the immediate goal of winning the ODI series, gaining an automatic qualifying spot for the World Cup was also a priority.
“The win was very important. It is basically a final from here because we have to keep the series alive, so we had to win today so that we can win the next match and the series as well.
“….Any ODI series that we have from here now is very important, because we need to qualify for the World Cup outright so that we don’t have to go into any qualifiers, so every ODI from here we’re looking for full points,” Chase said.
Fresh off a half century in the opening ODI on Friday, Chase, together with Justin Greaves, who scored an unbeaten 26, shared an unbroken stand of 77 off 72 balls that took the home side to victory.
He said while the batters didn’t get the start they wanted in their run chase, his objective was clear when he went to the crease with the West Indies wobbling on 102 for four in the 20th over.
“Well, obviously, we wanted to get a good start, not to put ourselves under pressure with the small total, but it didn’t happen for us, so it was for us to go on, consolidate and try to build a partnership.
“We were still going a bit slow, but we still kept the rate kind of close, and I thought that was what helped in the end,” Chase said.
With the final ODI set for Tuesday, Chase said the Windies would be going all out for their first bilateral ODI series win over Pakistan in 33 years.
“I wouldn’t say it’s pressure, I’d say it’s an opportunity for us to show our mettle, show our class and just go out there and perform and give the crowd something to cheer about.
“I mean, so far it’s not been a capacity crowd, but I love the energy that the crowd has been giving us and supporting us, so it would really make us happy and the fans happy as well,” Chase said. (CMC)
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