T20 World Cup: West Indies women’s head coach Shane Deitz believes his side received a timely reminder of the challenges that await at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup after Ireland produced a spirited performance to secure a historic victory in Dublin.Ireland registered their first-ever T20I win over the West Indies, with all-rounder Orla Prendergast emerging as the standout performer. The 22-year-old followed up a disciplined bowling display with a match-winning 71 off just 46 balls, guiding the hosts to a memorable triumph and the top of the tri-series standings.
Deitz admitted Prendergast’s counterattacking innings proved decisive as the West Indies struggled to wrest back momentum once it began slipping away.
“Prendergast came out and played a real good innings. She put the pressure on us and at times we probably didn’t react how we should react under pressure and that’s what’s going to be the big thing in this World Cup is how we react under pressure against really good players.”
The Irish all-rounder’s innings came at a crucial stage of the chase and showcased the composure that has made her one of Ireland’s most important players ahead of the World Cup. Her ability to absorb pressure and accelerate when required left the visitors searching for answers.
While disappointed with the result, Deitz viewed the defeat as a valuable learning opportunity, particularly with the global tournament in England and Wales less than two weeks away.
“The team must find a way to adjust to the different playing conditions a bit more quickly. The main thing learning from this is what we usually do in the Caribbean on Caribbean wickets and other parts of the world, what options we go to with the ball or shots we go to the bat might not work over here.”
The West Indies have one remaining tri-series fixture and two World Cup warm-up matches to fine-tune their preparations, and Deitz believes those games will be vital in helping the squad adapt to unfamiliar conditions.
“It’s good to go through that now and really get accustomed to these conditions so, when we’re under pressure, come the World Cup, we know what the best options to take are at each situation.”
For the coach, the key takeaway is ensuring that mistakes made in preparation matches are not repeated once the tournament begins.
With the World Cup fast approaching, Deitz will be hoping the lessons from Prendergast’s match-winning display and Ireland’s historic victory help sharpen a West Indies side aiming to make a deep run in the tournament.
Article Source: IANS