Mohammed calls for improved batting show after massive loss

Windies stand-in captain Jason Mohammad is hopeful of an improved batting performance in the second Twenty20 International on Monday (April 2) after his side's annihilation in the first game on Sunday at the National Stadium in Karachi against Pakistan. Opting to chase after winning the toss, Windies were rolled out for a paltry 60 in 13.4 overs to lose by a massive margin of 143 runs on a day when international cricket made a triumphant return to Karachi. Only three of their batsmen - Marlon Samuels (18), Rayad Emrit (11), and Keemo Paul (10) - scored in double digits during their pursuit of a daunting 204.

The match was expected to be a one-sided affair as a depleted Windies squad had shown up for the three-match series after their big-players pulled out of the tour.

"Obviously it's nice when you have experienced players but we can't do much at this point of time because the guys have gone off to the IPL," Mohammed said after the defeat. "Yes, we have an inexperienced team, but I think the guys here can do the job as well. Couple of senior guys and some youngsters, who have come here, they are quite capable of doing the job. Hopefully we will do the job tomorrow, especially with the bat."

But it was not only the batting department that failed to show up. Windies broke down in the other two facets of the game - bowling and fielding - as well. As many as five out of seven bowlers - two of whom bowled only three balls - leaked runs at more than 10 an over.

The fielding lapses added to their woes as the Pakistani batsmen ran singles and doubles at will. The state of their fielding was so hapless that they had misfielded twice in the first 20 balls with a few misfields bringing boundaries to Pakistan in the crucial death overs. "We just have to improve all-round," Mohammed said, when asked what he thought his sided needed to do differently to level the series. "We need to apply ourselves, especially, in the batting department. Our shot selection needs to be better and we need to put partnerships. Losing wickets in every over (early on) put us under a lot of pressure. We just have to be positive and be smarter about it tomorrow.

"Losing three wickets in the first two overs put you in a lot of pressure and that too your three top-order batsmen. It's just for us to put up better performance and put up partnerships (tomorrow)"

The visitors arrived in Karachi less than 24-hours before the first ball of the series was bowled and will now have less than 24 hours to turn their fortunes around in the series. "Obviously there will be a bit of jetlag," Mohammed pointed out. "But I think our performance just wasn't good enough at the end of the day."

With the return of international cricket in its nascent stages in the country, Mohammed praised the security that was provided to the team ever since they landed. "It has been very nice coming here. They [Pakistani security apparatus] have done an excellent job. We feel very safe and fans were very nice at the ground. We feel comfortable being here."