Oshane Thomas, West Indies fast bowler, World Cup 2019 Player Full Profile: Searing pace, awkward height make Thomas a handful

Oshane Thomas is a tall, burly Jamaican and he is quick. Capable of reaching and exceeding speeds of 150 kph, he has the pace to unnerve even the most composed batsmen. He shot into notice with a scorching yorker that uprooted Chris Gayle’s stumps during the CPL a few years ago. Another memorable CPL dismissal was another yorker, a reverse-swinging one this time, that snaked in from off to disassemble Martin Guptill’s stumps. [caption id=“attachment_6586631” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Oshane Thomas. Reuters[/caption] “Oshane is a really exciting talent without doubt,” said Rohit Sharma after being impressed by Thomas’s pace during the 2018 series in India. “He’s got good height, plus that jump he takes, if he bowls in the right areas, it won’t be easy for any batsman in the world to counter that. He’s really talented, and he also has the advantage of height which gives him the extra edge.” Thomas is now 22 and as with many young fast bowlers, especially those dealing in exhilarating pace, his radar is sometimes awry. That is always a problem on a bad day when he may fall out of rhythm and out of sync. But on a good day, when it all comes together, opposing batsmen will have a tough time coping with him. In nine ODIs Thomas has captured 15 wickets, including his best haul of 5/21 recently against England at the Darren Sammy national Cricket Stadium in St Lucia. Thomas wears the colours of the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL where, given an opportunity after being excluded for a few games, he proved his worth. He has been rather effective in T20 cricket, and was one of the brightest stars in the CPL. He will likely be given an opportunity in the World Cup. He will be a handful if he gets it right. For all the latest news, opinions and analysis from ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, click here