Published: Sep 20, 2016, 12:09 PM (IST)
Edited: Sep 20, 2016, 12:09 PM (IST)
Evin Lewis, who scored a brilliant hundred in only his second T20 International (T20I) against India in the USA, is keen to grab the opportunity presented to him in the series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Lewis has been named n the T20I and has also received his maiden call-up to the One-Day International (ODI) series as well. Lewis, who replaced Lendl Simmons in the World T20 to make his debut and then replaced Chris Gayle in the T20I series against India in USA, has gotten off to a promising start and will look to consolidate on it in the series against Pakistan. Pakistan and West Indies kick start the tour with the first T20I scheduled to be played on September 23 at Dubai.
“I am pretty excited. It’s my first time in Dubai and I’m looking to grasp the opportunity and perform well,” the 24-year-old said. He added: “I’m always positive, and that’s the most important thing. You have to know the areas where you can score. For me, it’s probably back of a length balls and half volleys that are my strengths so I just back myself every time they come to go over the top.” Lewis admits that he was shocked that Gayle did not play the T20I series against India, but saw it as an opportunity to put himself on the world stage. “It was very shocking to me to know that he [Gayle] wasn’t playing but at the same time I said this could be my opportunity to put myself on the world stage. I went in there and was positive and it paid off for me so I was very happy about it,” Lewis said of the innings against India, according to guardian.co.tt.
“It’s pretty decent with me and Jono [Charles]. You know Jono is a very attacking batsman as is myself so it’s less pressure on me. When I see him scoring it’s then easier for me to score also so I am thankful for that.” READ: KL Rahul, Evin Lewis rise in ICC T20 Rankings
Lewis will get the first taste of playing in theUAE, when he will play a warm-up match against Emirates Cricket Board XI on Tuesday. “We just have to go out there and be positive,” the Trinidadian said. “It’s a build-up for the game on [Friday] so we just have to go out there and play positive cricket, the cricket we have been playing all year long so we just have to go out there and do our thing.”
