Former West Indies spinner and two-time ICC T20 World Cup winner Samuel Badree views Afghanistan’s recent appointment of Dwayne Bravo as a strategic move that will add significant value to the team.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced on Tuesday that Bravo has been appointed as a bowling consultant for the upcoming T20 World Cup, co-hosted by the West Indies and the US from June 1-29.
According to an Afghan Cricket Board release, “The Afghanistan Cricket Board is pleased to announce the appointment of former West Indies star and T20 World Cup champion Dwayne Bravo as the bowling consultant for the Afghanistan national team for the T20 World Cup 2024.” Bravo will join the team during their preparation camp ahead of the event in the Caribbean.
The Afghan team is currently in St Kitts and Nevis for a ten-day training camp leading up to the World Cup. Bravo confirmed his new role on Instagram, expressing gratitude to the ACB for the opportunity and anticipation for the challenge ahead.
With leg-spinner Rashid Khan leading the squad, Afghanistan is placed in Group C alongside New Zealand, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Uganda, and the West Indies.
Badree highlighted that Bravo’s appointment, along with PNG hiring former West Indies coach Phil Simmons, underscores the strategic preparations by various teams to leverage insider knowledge. Simmons was the coach when the West Indies won their second T20 World Cup in 2016.
Last December, England, the reigning T20 World Cup champions, appointed former West Indies captain Kieron Pollard as an assistant coach for the upcoming tournament. England is in Group B with 2021 champions Australia, Namibia, Oman, and Scotland.
Badree noted, “Dwayne’s appointment by Afghanistan is a strategic move considering his extensive experience in T20 cricket. He has the most wickets in this format and understands the conditions well.”
Bravo, who played 91 T20 matches for the West Indies, took 363 international wickets across all formats, with 78 in T20s. His T20 career includes 625 wickets over 19 years. Rashid Khan follows Bravo on the all-time T20 wicket-takers list with 574, and Sunil Narine is third with 550.
Bravo is currently the bowling coach for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.
Badree remarked, “His game awareness, especially in death bowling, is unmatched in T20 cricket.”
Bravo played pivotal roles in the West Indies’ T20 World Cup victories in 2012 and 2016, with notable performances in the finals. His allegiance will soon shift from the West Indies to Afghanistan.
While acknowledging the trend of appointing former West Indies players to different teams, Badree believes that coach Daren Sammy and the West Indies team will not be overly concerned by these developments.
“Teams aim to gain inside knowledge of conditions, and selecting experienced former players is a strategic move to add value,” Badree commented. “I’m keen to see the impact of these appointments and whether they lead to any upsets.”
Afghanistan’s campaign begins against Uganda in Guyana on June 3, followed by matches against New Zealand and PNG, and concluding the preliminary round against the West Indies in St Lucia on June 17. They will play warm-up matches against Oman and Scotland in Trinidad on May 29 and 31, where Bravo’s familiar presence will be seen supporting a different team.
Afghanistan Cricket Team
