"I was trying get out at the back end"- Dwayne Bravo opens up on his role with the bat after win over Australia in 2nd T20I
West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo acknowledged that he tried to give his wicket away at the back end of the innings in the second T20I against Australia so that power hitters like Nicholas Pooran and Andre Russell could face more deliveries.
Dwayne Bravo scored an unbeaten 47 off 34 balls to help West Indies set Australia a target of 197. The veteran all-rounder was promoted up the order, coming in at No. 5 ahead of the likes of Andre Russell and Nicholas Pooran.
While Pooran didn't get a chance to bat, Russell could only face eight balls, from which he smashed 24 runs. The move to send Bravo at five did not cost the West Indies as the hosts managed to register a comfortable win.
Speaking to the host broadcaster about his role with the bat, Bravo said:
"It was always in the team plan if we bat first and we lose early wickets for me to go in and control the innings - it's more my style of play. Pick up the ones and twos, lay that solid platform for the likes of Russell, Fabian, Pooran, if Polly is in the squad, to do what they have to do in the back end. I must be honest, at some point I was trying get out at the back end to allow Russell and these guys to finish off."
The 37-year-old walked out to bat in the eighth over with the scoreboard reading 59-3. Dwayne Bravo shared a brilliant 103-run stand with Shimron Hetmyer (61 off 36 balls), with the latter receiving the Man of the Match award for his heroics.
"He's a batting leader in our group; we gave him the responsibility to take control"- Dwayne Bravo on Shimron Hetmyer
While West Indies have several veteran batsmen like Lendl Simmons, Chris Gayle and Andre Fletcher in their ranks, Dwayne Bravo explained that Shimron Hetmyer, 24, is the leader of the group.
"He's a batting leader in our group, we gave him the responsibility to take control of the batting and show some maturity. We all know how classy he is and how dangerous he can be, [the advice was] just to bat deep."
West Indies will be keen to wrap up the five-match series when they take on Australia in the third T20I starting on 13 July. The hosts lead 2-0.