Brathwaite tells newcomers to express themselves against Pakistan

West Indies all-rounder gives credit to selectors for picking youngsters for UAE tour

West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite has advised newcomers Rovman Powell and Nicholas Pooran to express themselves in the upcoming series against Pakistan in the UAE and help the country bag victories.

Both players were selected after they performed in the Caribbean Premier League for their respective teams. Powell scored 228 runs in 13 matches, while young 20-year-old Pooran blasted 217 runs in 10 matches.

"Go there, express yourselves, continue to be exciting and eventually win games for the West Indies,” said Brathwaite. “It's a big task to represent the West Indies, and away from home is probably a little easier because you don't have family in the stands with that extra pressure.”

He added: “You're just surrounded by your team-mates and it's a good team to be in at the moment, so it's just about going there and continuing to do the things that they did to get themselves here and do it for longer periods — it's a higher stage, more pressure, but I'm sure they can continue with it and do well.”

The 28-year-old also gave due credit to the selectors for picking youngsters for the tour.

"The selectors were very big in ensuring that some young players are blooded and rubbed shoulders with some of the best T20 players in the world so we can continue our legacy of being dominant in this format, and those were two of the guys who fit the bill at this point in time," he said.

Brathwaite also warned the players of the soaring temperatures in the UAE and told them to prepare well for each game.

"It wasn't as hot early in the year, but, apparently, we're smack dab in the middle of their summer, so it can get very, very hot," said Brathwaite. "It's for the players to prepare well, manage themselves well off the field, rehydration-wise, get enough rest, and each and every one of us is a professional and we know what our body needs to be an optimal thing to perform, so it's just about us doing things we do off the field, planning well, preparing well, and evidently performing well when the games come."

Pakistan will take on West Indies in a three T20I series from September 23 followed by three ODIs. The series will end with three Tests in the UAE.

Carlos Brathwaite was quoted by ESPNcricinfo