COLOMBO: West Indies are confident that they will return to full-strength in their quarterfinal against Pakistan in Mirpur on Wednesday (tomorrow) with big-hitting Chris Gayle and fast bowler Kemar Roach coming back in the playing eleven.
The West Indians missed the services of Gayle and Roach in their last World Cup Pool B game against co-hosts India as they crashed to a big defeat just two days before their last-eight clash against the Pakistanis.
A West Indies team spokesman said on Monday that the duo was rested because of minor fitness problems and will be back for tomorrow’s big game in Mirpur, Bangladesh.
Gayle, one of the most destructive batters in international cricket, had to sit out of the match against India because of a slight recurrence of the abdominal strain that ruled him out of an earlier match against Ireland.
Roach missed Sunday’s game because of a mild fever. According to the team spokesman, Roach had a high temperature earlier this week but played through it in Thursday’s defeat against England.
According to the spokesman, the West Indies team management wanted the key duo to be fully fit for the quarterfinals which is why they were rested for Sunday’s match.
