For the primary time in ODI World Cup historical past, the West Indies cricket workforce has did not qualify for the mega occasion. They have been compelled to play the qualifiers earlier than the 2019 World Cup additionally however they ultimately managed to complete in prime two together with Afghanistan to avoid wasting themselves from humiliation.
The West Indies cricket workforce emerged as a formidable drive within the 1970s underneath the captaincy of Clive Lloyd.
Blessed with a lineup of outstanding abilities similar to Viv Richards and Joel Garner, they instilled concern of their opponents. The West Indian workforce additionally had legends like Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Andy Roberts and Michael Holding.
They achieved a outstanding feat of profitable back-to-back World Cups, in 1975 and 1979. Their reign continued into the 1980s, led by the enduring Richards, as they remained just about unbeatable in each Check matches and One Day Internationals.
The West Indies workforce has been on a decline for the previous 20 years. Though they gained two T20 World Cup titles, in 2012 and 2016, their efficiency within the different two codecs has been on the decline.
Former skipper Darren Sammy retired from worldwide cricket and his colleagues like Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine have time however refused to play for the West Indies as worldwide cricket could not present them sufficient monetary help, whereas by means of T20 leagues they’ll earn far more in a short while.
As a result of lack of curiosity of the massive gamers, at present West Indies are No. eight in Checks, 10th in ODIs and seventh within the shortest format.
The West Indies have been formidable even within the 1990s as Richie Richardson inherited the workforce from Richards and had the companies of Brian Lara, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh. That interval of dominance, which was made attainable as a result of excellent mixture of intimidation, aura and talent, stays essentially the most fabled and feared within the historical past of cricket.
Between February 2009 and July 2012, West Indies gained simply two of 33 Check matches, whereas the knock-on impact of their ODI kind was that they did not qualify for the 2017 Champions Trophy by means of the ICC’s rankings system.
Now it’s tough for the West Indies to seek out one other Clive Lloyd or Viv Richards or Brian Lara or Courtney Walsh.
A number of components have contributed to the downfall of the West Indies cricket workforce. One essential issue has been the exodus of gifted gamers to profitable T20 leagues all over the world. The monetary attract of those leagues, coupled with restricted alternatives within the West Indies, has led to a drain of expertise from the nationwide workforce. The absence of skilled and expert gamers has considerably weakened the workforce’s general efficiency.
One other issue is the decline in grassroots improvement and infrastructure.
The West Indies cricket board has struggled to take a position adequately in youth improvement programmes, teaching, and infrastructure, resulting in a dearth of expertise. And not using a sturdy pipeline of younger cricketers, the workforce has struggled to seek out promising replacements for his or her ageing stars.
The decline of the West Indies cricket workforce is a tragic story of misplaced glory.
By investing in grassroots improvement, resolving inner conflicts, and implementing long-term methods, the West Indies cricket workforce can regain its former greatness. It’s important for all stakeholders to work collectively to rebuild the workforce and reclaim their place as one of many cricket world’s powerhouses.
Moreover, inner conflicts and administrative points have plagued West Indies cricket. Frequent disputes between the board and gamers over contracts and choice have created a divisive environment inside the workforce. These conflicts have usually spilled onto the sector, affecting the workforce morale and cohesion.
Moreover, the West Indies cricket workforce ought to concentrate on long-term planning fairly than short-term fixes. Constructing a sustainable and aggressive workforce requires endurance, strategic pondering, and the event of a powerful workforce tradition.
Reviving the West Indies cricket workforce requires addressing varied challenges. First, the cricket board should spend money on grassroots improvement programmes, enhance teaching buildings, and create a supportive setting for budding cricketers. By nurturing younger expertise and offering them with ample alternatives, the workforce can rebuild its expertise pool.
The West Indies Board has moved to make the complete home cricket setup skilled within the final six years, giving incentives to children to take up cricket as a full-time profession. The Caribbean Premier League (CPL), the franchise T20 match, can be an effort to uplift cricket within the area.