AS the West Indies gear up to face Afghanistan in their Group C Twenty20 World Cup match at Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia today at 7:30 pm, Captain Rovman Powell conceded that the team’s batting performance has been underwhelming so far.

However, he remains optimistic about their prospects, citing the opportunity to turn things around against a strong Afghan side.

“Tomorrow presents an opportunity for us as batters to get it right. They have a lot of match-winners and it’s something that we have to come with our best game [to defeat],” Powell said in a pre-match interview.

Afghanistan, known for being tough opponents, particularly in T20 cricket, boast a very good bowling unit led by world-class spinner and skipper Rashid Khan. Their batting line-up, capable of scoring quickly, could also pose a significant challenge for co-hosts West Indies.

The primary challenge facing both teams will be managing expectations on Caribbean pitches that haven’t favoured 200 plus scores in this year’s World Cup.

POWELL…you want players going into the Super Eight with good performances (Photo: AFP)

While acknowledging Afghanistan’s impressive form Powell believes the West Indies can capitalise on the favourable conditions in St Lucia where the pitch tends to favour batters. He noted that the team has learned valuable lessons from playing against top-tier opponents in the tournament, which will aid them in their quest to overcome the Afghan challenge.

“Traditionally, St Lucia has been a team that batters like to bat but it’s also an opportunity for bowlers to bowl good spells here, especially the fast bowlers,” he said.

“It’s an opportunity for us to play against another world-class side. We think that St Lucia offers 60-40 per cent in terms of from a batting perspective to bowling. If you’re a bowler or a batter you definitely can get something out of the St Lucia wicket,” he added.

With the Super Eight stage looming Powell said he is eager to see his team put on a strong performance against Afghanistan, a side they cannot afford to underestimate. He emphasised the importance of momentum and consistency heading into the Super Eight stage.

“Momentum is a very important word for us. It’s important for us to keep playing good cricket and consistent cricket. After this game, the Super Eight is very, very important. You want players going into the Super Eight with good performances.

“You want to go into the Super Eight as a team winning. That’s definitely something that we’re taking seriously and not taking anything for granted, even though we have qualified for the Super Eight already. It’s an opportunity for us to also put on a display for the St Lucians that will come out tomorrow to watch us play World Cup cricket,” he said.