Amir Jangoo believes the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force have a prime opportunity to finally turn their strong start into a potential title push, as they prepare for a decisive West Indies Four-Day Championship play-off against Barbados Pride on Sunday in Antigua.
After securing a 1-0 series victory over the Leeward Islands Hurricanes, the Red Force advanced to the knockout stage, where they will meet Barbados at the Coolidge Cricket Ground with a place in the final at stake.
Defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles booked their place in the title match with a perfect three wins against the Windward Islands Volcanoes in their bilateral series.
While recent campaigns have seen Red Force begin well but fall short of the title, Jangoo said the team is determined to take that form deeper into the tournament this time around.
“Every year there’s a pattern where we start off the tournament really strong, so I think we want to go two steps further now, take it one game at a time from here and then hopefully we can bring home the title,” Jangoo said.
That mindset, he explained, will be crucial against the Pride, who will be eager to make amends after falling to Joshua Da Silva’s men by an innings and 56 runs last season.
“I think there are always expectations. We have been playing really good cricket.
“Obviously we defeated them last year on their home turf, so I think it will be a really exciting game and once we play our best cricket I think we will come out on top,” Jangoo maintained.
“I think we just focus on our team right now, focus on our processes and then Sunday will take care of itself.”
Barbados have shown strength with the bat this season, with Kevin Wickham slamming three centuries and former Test skipper Kraigg Brathwaite also coming good with a 176 against Jamaica in their bilateral clash.
However, Jangoo reiterated that Red Force’s fortunes will depend largely on how well they execute their own plans.
“I think the batting has been doing really well, but for us it’s about what we do as a team,” he said.
The left-hander also highlighted the importance of consistency, both for team success and his own ambitions at the international level.
“My ultimate goal is to play Test cricket for a long period of time, so it’s just for me to keep scoring runs and hopefully it pays off,” Jangoo said.
With competition for places in the regional side remaining intense, Jangoo is focused on making the most of every opportunity that comes his way.
“There’s a lot of good players in the West Indies team. For me, it’s about taking the chances when I do get those games and having that sort of consistency to play at that level. I’m still in the team, so that’s a bonus – it’s about waiting for my chance and taking it,” he acknowledged.
A key component of Red Force’s batting strength has been Jangoo’s understanding with captain Da Silva, with the pair continuing to build productive partnerships.
“I think if you watch our partnerships in the past, we bat really well, we complement each other really well. Batting gets a lot easier when I’m batting with Josh,” he said, adding that the captain’s form augurs well for the team heading into the play-off.
Jangoo also pointed to the importance of preparation and maintaining a clear mindset, particularly in high-pressure situations.
“It’s all about sticking to my preparation and doing well in training, training hard and then it will take care of itself in the game,” he said.
(Trinidad Express)
