Jakeem has struck Nicholas Pooran on his helmet, bounced out Sunil Narine, and has even had Andre Russell ducking for cover.
“I said I don’t care how and we just have to pick him,” Green said. “So great to see him get his opportunity back here in Barbados. He’s a key figure of our side now and to our success in Barbados in particular. The young group – I see that as our identity.
“They’re our Bajan players and that’s our core group. We’ve got some experienced overseas players and experienced players from other countries – Brandon King from Jamaica, Sherfane Rutherford from Guyana, Gudakesh Motie from Guyana, our core Barbados group is our identity. I believe they are the guys that are going to get us over the line and are going to encapture the 12th man, and the Barbados crowd.”
“Pollard has been really impressive. I have seen him bowl in Under-19s,” Moeen said. “He’s quick and so always kept an eye on him. To watch him bowl the way he’s bowled so far when he’s played I think he’s been the most impressive. I would probably pick him straightaway in the West Indies side because he’s different. He’s left-arm, he’s tall and he gets that bounce. He’s quick and only going to get better with a more professional, international sort of environment. So, he’s really someone to watch in the future.”
“He’s very different to what you see on TV,” Moeen said. “Very quiet, brilliant team man. I think he can be a great white-ball bowler just like Jayden Seales. They’ve just been pigeonholed as red-ball bowlers. But they’ve been brilliant for us. I think they’ve got potential to be even better in white-ball. But I think they just need a bit of direction and clarity on how to go about things and backing.
“Alzarri has got all the attributes – pace, swing. It’s just knowing when to bowl what. I think he’s getting there. If you get him right and get him on your side, he’s a brilliant guy to have in your team.”
The emergence of Jakeem and re-emergence of Alzarri has added more depth to WI’s T20 pace pack, which already includes Matthew Forde and Shamar Joseph, who has cranked it up to 150kph in this CPL.
“I think it’s great they have started to have that [fast-bowling firepower] again,” Moeen said. “I think it was missing or lacking in probably the last few years but Shamar… I’ve played with him at Guyana. He’s been brilliant since I’ve seen him bowl and obviously he’s done well in Test cricket. In white-ball [cricket], he’s starting to nail his yorkers and his bounce is proper.”
