Chase sets out ‘realistic’ WTC goal for West Indies

With a home series against Pakistan coming up, Roston Chase has shared that the West Indies are eyeing a mid-table finish in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship.

Speaking ahead of the first of the two Tests, Chase stated, “Yeah, for this championship, we initially set out that we wanted to finish around fifth or sixth in the table.

“We didn't want to jump too far ahead of ourselves. We wanted to set a realistic goal and we came up with that goal. 

"So it's very important for us to come and win this series against Pakistan. And I think once we do that, I think we'll find our way close to sixth or fifth on the table.”

The West Indies are currently eighth in the WTC Standings, just above Pakistan, with a 15.00 PCT from just the solitary win after their 10 outings. 

"I think it's very important, as I said, for us to come and win this series, to head in the [right] direction in terms of climbing that table,” Chase added. 

“And not only the Test Championship table, but the actual Test ranking table. We want to move up the rankings from down at the bottom of the table. 

“And it's been a while since West Indies cricket have been mid-table, like sixth, fifth. So we really want to get back up there and really want to make the nation proud."

Pakistan, on the other hand, are at the bottom of the WTC Standings with just 8.33 PCT after four matches, which includes just the one win. 

The team were docked eight points in the WTC cycle owing to a slow over rate in their opening Test defeat against Bangladesh earlier in May.

The West Indies have added to their squad for the series with the inclusion of top-order batter Kirk McKenzie and 26-year-old spinner Joshua Bishop.

The duo arrive into the squad on the back of impressive performances in the West Indies (first-class) Championship, where McKenzie finished as the sixth-highest run-getter and Bishop as the fourth-highest wicket-taker.

"McKenzie had a taste of international cricket before, so he's coming back. But this is going to be Bishop's first time. 

“So we're just looking to give these guys some confidence and rally around them, because, obviously, coming into a new arena and coming back, you can have a bit of nerves. 

"So we just want to embrace them and wish them well in the series if they do get the opportunity to play.

"But these two guys had an outstanding series in the West Indies Championship that has just gone. So they just need to grow on that, build on that, the confidence that they took from those performances.”

The first Test between the West Indies and Pakistan will kickstart on Saturday, July 25 in Tarouba.