West Indies in Pakistan 2006-07

'It's about time we have a steady World Cup squad'

Chris Gayle

December 18, 2006

Gayle: Pakistan was disappointing for me. No excuses, it was a good experience © Getty Images

Well this is the grand finale. It has been a long time on the road and it comes to an end as all things must come to an end. It's been a long, hard fight on the road, three and a half months, but unfortunately the tour ended on a disappointing note.

We started well in Malaysia, then went on to India and finished here in Pakistan. First of all, to touch on the last couple of Pakistan games, it was disappointing in both forms but I think it was a good experience. India and Pakistan may be neighbours but it's a different environment.

You get English conditions here, it's a bit cooler and it's been a while since we've played in those conditions. In the last game we came up a bit short defending 238. I think we should have got more runs on the board, it was a flat pitch and Pakistan came out easy in the end with a lot of wickets in had.

I thought the team played well in the one-dayers. Marlon (Samuels) got a century and came back to his own and it is good to see him get an opportunity to prove himself at the top of the order. Shiv (Chanderpaul) came up in the end with another century. After missing the first two games he came back well and got a half-century and a century.

Once this continues and everyone contributes it will be good for the team. The bowlers did well in Pakistan -Jerome (Taylor), (Corey) Collymore, (Daren) Powell in his first game and (Dwayne) Smith played a good part as well.

If we continue to play the sort of cricket we have been playing, we will find ourselves struggling going into the World Cup. The chopping and changing is going to be difficult for us and put us on the back foot.

Personally, from my point of view, things can be handled right within the team with the selections on a whole. It's about time we have a steady World Cup squad ... there is no time to experiment now.

On a personal note, I started with a good one-day series in Malaysia and then continued on in India on a high and then came to Pakistan and it was a disappointing tour for me in both forms. No excuses, it was a good experience; I will use it to gain more experience. In the bowling department, I think I have been underused on most occasions. I am not a scapegoat bowler in this team to be used only when things are difficult.

Things can be handled a bit better in that scenario. I have to wish my fans and everyone a merry Christmas and happy new year when the new year arrives. I hope everyone keeps supporting the team, we have a lot of cricket to play next year and, hopefully, we will start the new year on a high note.

This Christmas is not going to be a party Christmas for me but you can find me in the club most of the times.

© Trinidad & Tobago Express

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Players/Umpires

Chris Gayle

Series/Tournaments

West Indies tour of Pakistan

Teams

West Indies