New Delhi, Sep 4 : Legendary West Indies batter Shivnarine Chanderpaul has said that as the head coach of the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons franchise in the ongoing season of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), his focus has been to inspire the next generation of players in the side.

"Cricket has been a crucial part of my life, and as a mentor, my focus is on inspiring the next generation. We've faced challenges in the past, and it's essential to focus on the games ahead'what's gone is gone. To young players, my advice is simple: maintain your dedication, develop your skills, and stay fit," said Chanderpaul in a StarTalks event hosted by Parimatch.

One of the bright youngsters in the franchise is young Jewel Andrew, who was West Indies' top run-getter at this year's Under-19 World Cup in South Africa, by amassing 207 runs in four innings at an average of 69 and a strike rate of 109.52.

In four games so far, Andrew has made 50 not out, 10, 48 and 15 for the side, giving more examples of the billing of a prodigy he's got since his young cricket-playing days. `'We all are able to see him now. He's been playing under-19, and a lot of cricket around here. Now that he's playing CPL, the world is having a look at him,' he said.

'You can see the talent the young man has. He's just 17 years old, going out there and being a leading run scorer for us so far - that tells the story by itself. He's going out there and executing shots that you don't expect from a young man, but he's able to do all these things. We just hope that he can keep a level head and keep on doing what he's doing and try to keep improving his game as he grows,' added Chanderpaul.

The franchise hasn't been able to win a single game in 2024 CPL yet and legendary pacer Sir Curtly Ambrose, serving as the brand ambassador and coach of the team, is confident a win will propel the team to get things going for them.

"It's good to be part of Antigua. We have a strong squad capable of winning games and poised to win this championship. We're fearless and not intimidated by any other team. We haven't played our best cricket yet, but I am sure that winning our first match will elevate the players' confidence and propel us forward,' he said.

/IANS