Kenya coach Baptiste to try out rookies ahead of World Cup

Kenya coach Eldine Baptiste will be looking to see how his untested team will adapt to the Indian conditions ahead of next month’s World Cup during their two-week tour which starts on Thursday.

Baptiste has included three young bowlers and one uncapped batsman in the 20-man squad, which left Nairobi on Wednesday for Bangalore, where they will play five one-day matches against two Indian sides, Gujarat and Baroda.

“The tour is an opportunity for us to look at the players before naming the final squad for the World Cup,” said Baptiste, the former West Indies fast bowler.

“The matches should provide for the players some valuable practice on the conditions before the World Cup, which is important for us,” he added.

Kenya has played few competitive matches in the run-up to the World Cup, having faced Afghanistan, Uganda and the UAE in a series of one-dayers late last year.

The touring side, however, includes two experienced all-rounders, Steve Tikolo and Thomas Odoyo, who played for Kenya in the 1996 World Cup played in the sub-continent. The team will be led by Jimmy Kamande, as captain.

Meanwhile, wicket-keeper batsman Kamran Akmal said Wednesday he was delighted to be back among Pakistan’s World Cup probables, as former captain Shoaib Malik expressed disappointment at being left out.

Kamran, 28, got the required clearance from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and was named in a preliminary 30-man squad for the event to be hosted by Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka from February 19 to April 2.