'Windies have long-term plan' – skipper Pollard

Windies T20 skipper Kieron Pollard insists the team will focus on the positives despite a 29-runs loss to Afghanistan, which handed the South Asian team a 2-1 series win on Sunday.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, a punishing 79 from 52 balls from man-of-match Rahmanullah Gurbaz, lifted the hosts to 156 for 8 and set the table for the crucial win. The opener was left to anchor the innings following the departure of partner Hazratullah Zazai for a duck and the team losing wickets at regular intervals.

In response, Shai Hope did his best to keep the Windies in the hunt as they pursued the target and added 52 from 46 balls. He, however, found very little support as the team found the bowlers difficult to get away on the slow surface. Naveen-ul-Haq was the most successful of the Afghanistan bowlers and claimed 3 for 24.

“It was a similar situation to yesterday. We found ourselves in a hole in the Powerplay and couldn't dig ourselves out of it. I can’t fault the effort of the bowlers. but having said that, the guys would have taken a lot from this series and how to adapt and play on slower pitches,” Pollard said.

“We have a long-term plan, but we have to deal with what's in front of us right now. I can't say what will happen in October next year (for the T20 World Cup). Yes, we are on the losing side, but these things happen. In sport, there is a winner and a loser.”

The Windies won the first T20I against Afghanistan by 30 runs, lost the second by 41 runs, before being swept aside in the decider.