Source: IANS
The West Indies, formerly touted as a “powerhouse in ODI cricket” after winning two World Cups, experienced a severe setback when they failed to qualify for the World Cup 2023. A dismal loss to Scotland on Saturday, July 1, sealed their fate, which seemed unavoidable after humbling losses to Zimbabwe and the Netherlands.
The West Indies had competed in all 12 previous editions of the competition, having won the original ODI World Cup trophies in 1975 and 1979 under the inspirational guidance of Clive Lloyd. However, after an unbroken run of 48 years, they would not be a part of the forthcoming flagship event in India.
In terms of the larger picture and their track record, the Men in Maroon have a history of struggling in qualifiers. Due to their low rating, they missed out on the Champions Trophy in 2017. Similarly, they had to qualify for the 2019 World Cup and won only two matches, coming second to Bangladesh in the standings.
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They recently failed to qualify for the main stage of the T20 World Cup in Australia. As a result, it begs the question of what is causing their lackluster performance on the big stages.
On that topic, let’s look at the three major variables that contributed to their poor performance in the World Cup qualifiers:
1. End of the Golden Era
The departure of important players who were previously the team’s backbone has been a major contributor to the West Indies’ recent downfall in cricket. While their departure was anticipated to have an influence on the club, the lack of a plausible replacement has been nothing short of amazing.
While the West Indies cricket board may not have been able to do much about the retirement of their older players, one area where they might have made a huge difference is by investing in the training and coaching of bright youth. This investment would have created the groundwork for a long-lasting and competitive club even after important players left.
2. Inadequate Game Awareness
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Caribbean players are highly valued by T20 franchises throughout the world for their propensity to deliver big performances, which is fueled by their aggressive style and gameplay against bowlers. There’s no disputing that on their day, they’re capable of leading their side to victory.
We’ve seen these players charge onto the field and strive for massive hits from the opening ball on several occasions. This daring approach, however, frequently results in them losing wickets, owing to their inability to control the risks connected with their aggressive play.
One of the key reasons why the current ‘West Indies’ team consistently underperforms in large matches like the World Cup qualifiers is their inability to read the game and discern the best periods for aggressive moves vs defensive strategy.
3. Impact of T20 leagues
Let me be clear: when I say that the rise of T20 leagues has had a bad impact on West Indian cricket, I don’t mean that these leagues are completely to blame for its demise.
They, like other international players, are offered contracts to play in franchise cricket. What distinguishes them from other international players is their frequent absence from national duty to favor franchise cricket.
This scarcity of available players has taken its toll on West Indies cricket in recent years, as they have had to bring in players from nowhere, who have then failed to deliver in crucial games.
The West Indies cricket board and the players are both to blame for the turmoil in the cricketing system. While the board has been poor in engaging and keeping players for international cricket, Caribbean players have recently demonstrated a careless attitude toward national commitments.
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