West Indies Men’s Under-19 head coach Rohan Nurse says, his squad is ready to go one step further at the upcoming ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
The team is targeting at least a semi-final berth after finishing 5th in the previous tournament.
With just weeks before the ICC Under-19 World Cup, West Indies head coach Rohan Nurse believes his squad is as prepared as circumstances have allowed, despite financial constraints at Cricket West Indies.
Speaking on a regional radio programme, Nurse revealed the team adopted a different preparation model, with the majority of work done in local territories with pathway coaches and franchises rather than centralized camps.
The results have been encouraging. West Indies won their Youth ODI series against England 5-2 in the Caribbean in late November and defeated Sri Lanka 4-3 in September, giving players valuable exposure through 14 international matches.
Nurse said the players are now well aware of what’s required in terms of professionalism, preparation and time management.
The coach has set a clear minimum target: reach the semi-finals. After finishing 5th in the last cycle, just outside the final 4, West Indies want to advance through the group phase and Super 6s to reach at least the semi-final stage.
The tournament comes 10 years after West Indies lifted the Under-19 World Cup in 2016, but Nurse says the team isn’t dwelling on history. The focus is on starting well and building momentum throughout the competition.
One of the squad’s key strengths is balance. Different players have performed at different moments in recent series, meaning the team isn’t heavily dependent on individual stars.
The squad features valuable experience through players like Jewel Andrew and franchise cricket veterans including Micah McKenzie, who have competed in the CPL and Super50 competitions.
Nurse believes the combination of solid preparation, recent success and squad depth has positioned West Indies to make a serious run at the tournament.