On Thursday, the regional team limped out of semi-final contention after losing to Sri Lanka by 20 runs, a result that had followed heavy defeats to England and South Africa.
In between the three defeats, the team did manage one win, which came against Bangladesh but that was far from some of the loftier expectations heading into the event.
Ahead of the competition, the selection of several senior players had proven to be a major bone of contention with some fans around the region, who clamoured for younger players to be included.
In response, however, it was argued that the experience of the senior players would prove vital to the campaign. In reality, things did not quite pan out that way. The likes of Chris Gayle, Lendl Simmons, Ravi Rampaul, Dwayne Bravo, and Pollard himself, had disappointing performances. In addition to his performances with the bat and ball, Wallace argues, however, that Pollard failed to deliver in another key area, his leadership.
“I think Pollard has failed us in that he has not stepped up to lead the team, the way we thought he would have led the team,” Wallace told the Mason and Guest radio program.
“…I thought that Pollard would have been the one to step up and say gentlemen I will take this on my back, and we are going to do this, X, Y, Z. To tell the public that it is not a developing tour and then be in the position that we are in with seasoned campaigners is detrimental to his credibility,” he added.
“For all that he is worth in T20 cricket, I have not seen it at this World Cup…I know he had an injury but I expected more from him in terms of gluing that middle order together and with bowling and stuff, those guys needed a leader.”
Overall, Pollard scored 46 runs, with a best of 26 and an average of 15.33.
Chasing a sizeable 469 and with one day rained out, the Windies needed at least 270 to ensure England did at least bat again. A battling knock of 68 from 137 balls by Brooks went on a long way in ensuring the team got to 287, on the back of a devastating new-ball spell from England pace bowler Stuart Broad.
Brooks also featured in two key partnerships. He paired with opener Kraigg Brathwaite for 76 runs and with middle-order batsman Roston Chase for 43. With England back at crease, 219 runs ahead, but two wickets down thanks to impressive late evening bowling by Kemar Roach, all eyes will be focused on how many runs the team will feel is needed to feel comfortable before putting the West Indies back in to bat.
“Yesterday being rained out we knew it was a crucial day lost in this Test match. We knew the situation was just having to come today and bat for as long as possible,” Brooks told members of the media, via a Zoom press conference, at the end of the day’s play.
“Yes, it is England's game and we knew that saving the follow-on was important but the more time that we batted today is the harder it made it for England to get a result out of this game,” he added.
Known internationally for their flamboyant, swashbuckling style, the Caribbean team will head into next week's tournament as defending champions. However, despite having captured the global title on two occasions, questions have been raised in recent times regarding the team’s batting approach.
With a batting line-up filled with heavy hitters, the problematic issue stems from the tendency to soak up too many dot balls. Pooran admits that it has been a focus but in the grand scheme of things the team intends to stay true to its style as it has delivered success in the past.
“We have net sessions and we as a group have spoken about it, we have players to play certain roles, honestly. As a batting group, we want to get better, we want to improve, and getting singles is a part of that game as well, but our focus is not so much on singles,” Pooran told members of the media on Tuesday.
“We won two World Cups with the same problems, to be honest, not getting singles. I don’t think the emphasis is so much on it, but on intent and playing smart cricket. There are times that we know that will have to put our egos aside and grind for the team and if that means pushing a dot ball and getting singles, we’ll do that.”
In the rain-affected fixture, India triumphed by a massive 119-runs via the Duckworth Lewis method, after Shubman Gill’s 98 anchored the team’s first innings effort of 225 for 3, in a reduced 36 overs.
In pursuit, the West Indies never really got things out of first gear. As early as the second over, Mohammed Siraj dealt the men in maroon an early blow, after getting rid of Kyle Mayers and Shamarh Brooks in the same over, which left the team struggling at 0 for 2.
King and Shai Hope put on a 47-run stand to give the team a fighting chance. Yuzvendra Chahal struck to end the partnership, however, after Hope was stumped for 22. King then partnered with Pooran to keep the recovery going, but that momentum was ended when Axar Patel's arm-ball bowled King for 42, leaving the team at 5-103.
With a climbing run rate the struggles of Keacy Carty, who was next at the crease, put pressure on Pooran to keep up with the run rate. Carty was put out of his misery after going down the pitch to Shardul and edging the ball onto the stumps, making a total of 5 from 17 balls.
With the rate needed climbing to 10 an over Pooran was dismissed for 42 when he was caught at mid-on off by Prasidh Krishna. Chahal ended with the best figures for India after taking 4 for 17.
The first match was originally scheduled for Monday, 5 June. The West Indies Men’s team will arrive in Dubai on Thursday, 1 June.
The second match will be played on Tuesday, 6 June with the third and final match scheduled for Friday, 9 June.
All three day-night matches will start at 4:30pm with the toss at 4pm at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Both teams will depart for Zimbabwe at the end of the series for their World Cup qualifying campaign which begins on 18 June.
The all-important tournament will confirm the remaining two spots for the 10-team ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, India.
UAE vs West Indies ODI series, matches to start at 4:30pm (8:30AM Caribbean/7:30AM Jamaica)
4 June – UAE vs West Indies, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE
6 June – UAE vs West Indies, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE
9 June – UAE vs West Indies, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, UAE
Full squad: Shai Hope (captain), Brandon King (vice captain), Alick Athanaze, Shamarh Brooks, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Dominic Drakes, Kavem Hodge, Akeem Jordan, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Raymon Reifer, Odean Smith, Devon Thomas.
The 39-year-old pace bowler last suited up for the regional team against Sri Lanka, at Pallekele, in 2012. Edwards has been unavailable for selection after signing a Kolpak deal in 2015. However, the player became available again with the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union and the termination of such contracts.
Earlier this year, the player announced his availability for the West Indies and also took part in the IPL and Abu Dhabi T10 League. Despite being one of the oldest active players, in the sport, Edwards has lost none of the pace he has always been noted for and is cable of exceeding 90mph deliveries. His pace and guile were very much on display in a fiery over against in-form young compatriot Nicholas Pooran during the T10 league.
The Barbadian-born right-arm pacer has played 20 T20 internationals for the West Indies and claimed 16 wickets. He has also taken part in 55 Tests and 50 One-day Internationals. Edwards hopes to be part of the T20 World Cup squad, which will attempt to defend its title in October.
The 24-year-old quick has been a part of the Patriots franchise since 2016. Joseph did, however, struggle last seasons, claiming just three wickets from seven matches, at an expensive 9.29. In 2019, the pace bowler captured 9, the third most on the team, with an economy rate of 7.75.
Late last week, the Patriots announced that they had retained Evin Lewis, Fabian Allen, Sheldon Cottrell, Rayad Emrit, Jon-Russ Jaggesar, Joshua Da Silva, and Dominic Drakes.
Joseph is currently taking part in the English County Championships where he is currently representing Worcestershire.
This season’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL), which bowls off on August 28, will be held in its entirety on the island of St Kitts & Nevis. This year could mark the return of fans, with fully vaccinated patrons expected to be allowed to attend a half capacity Warner Park venue. The Patriots have never won the CPL but went to the final of the competition in 2017.
Thomas was taken to hospital after he was involved in a crash in Jamaica on Sunday.
The quick's agent, Mark Neita, told the Jamaica Observer that Thomas is "at home resting" after being taken to hospital.
Thomas, who turned 23 on Tuesday, has played 20 ODIs and 10 Twenty20 Internationals for the Windies.
The West Indies Players' Association released a statement saying: "The West Indies Players’ Association [WIPA] extends best wishes to West Indies and Jamaica fast bowler Oshane Thomas who was involved in a motor vehicle accident on Sunday, February 16 in Jamaica.
"Thomas was reportedly involved in a two-vehicle collision on Highway 2000 near Old Harbour in St. Catherine and was taken to hospital.
"WIPA's executive and staff would like to extend our sympathies to Oshane. We wish for him a speedy and full recovery."
Russell played a starring role as the Windies closed out its T20 series against Sri Lanka, with a convincing 7 wickets win at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Friday. The 2-0 win triumph for the West Indies was the team’s first series win against an opponent since Bangladesh in 2019.
For a re-tooled Windies team looking to win an unprecedented third world title, the all-rounder believes that while the team has a long way to go, the victory is timely encouragement.
“We are peaking at the right time but we still have some areas to work on as a team,” Russell, who was named man of the series, said.
“We have a new set of guys who have the professional mind-set and we know what we have to do to better than what we have been doing. I just hope everyone is in tuned in and ready to make the sacrifices moving forward to work on our cricket.”
Russell ended the series with a decisive 75 runs and one wicket.
In the latest weekly update to the men’s rankings, which considers performances in the last three matches of the series, Hosein moved up 15 places to 18th position after a haul of 4-30 that helped him finish with six wickets in three matches.
“It’s not something I pay close attention to. However, when I play or train, it’s always about aiming to become the best,” Hosein said while speaking with CWI Media.
“It’s about having that mindset of wanting to improve and wanting to be at the top, so definitely it is an aspiration of mine to be the number one bowler in the world someday. Therefore, this move means a lot to me. It shows that my hard work is paying off and that I will be rewarded if I perform well. It’s definitely a good feeling.”
Holder was the star performer with the unique feat of grabbing four wickets in four balls in front of his home crowd. He finished with figures of 5-27 – the best in a T20I at the historic venue. This took his tally to nine wickets in those three matches, as he advanced three places to 23rd with a massive gain of 20 rating points. Overall, he took 15 wickets in the five matches, a new record for the most in a bilateral series, and was named the Player-of-the-Series.
Left-arm pacer Sheldon Cottrell (up 10 places to 31st) is another West Indies bowler to move up in Wednesday’s update while England spinner Moeen Ali (up three places to 32nd) and Liam Livingston (up 33 places to 68th) have also advanced.
In the ranking for batters, Nicholas Pooran is up eight places to 18th after scoring 113 runs in the three matches including a knock of 70, while opener Brandon King (up 25 places to 58th) and West Indies captain Kieron Pollard (up 15 places to 60th) have also advanced. King made a stylish 52 not out in the first match as West Indies won easily, while Pollard had a crucial 41 not out off 25 balls in the final match.
“This definitely means a lot to me, because I put a lot of work into my craft. I work day in and day out, so moving up the rankings is important. The ultimate goal is to be the best. I do pay attention to it (the rankings) because it is a good way to track your growth,” Pooran said.
Rovman Powell made the most of his return to the team with a brilliant 107 in the third matchmaking him the third West Indian to record a century in this format. He followed up with 35 not out off 17 balls in the last game.
Speaking at the end of the enthralling series, West Indies assistant coach Roddy Estwick said the improvement shown was extremely pleasing.
“After the last couple of months that we’ve had, it’s really pleasing that we’ve won a series. Improvement for me is actually more important than winning the series because you’ve got to focus on getting to the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 and doing a lot better than we did in the last one,” he said.
“The crowds coming back to the stadium is very important. The players were a lot freer this time around. The bubble was still there but a lot more relaxed and you could see the players responding to it so credit to the medical staff of the Cricket West Indies.
“Akeal Hosein was really brilliant for us when the chips were down along with Fabian Allen. They turned the tide, put England under pressure, continued to get wickets and that’s all we can ask, that people put their hands up when they need to and lead and fight and battle.”
Captain Kraigg Brathwaite leads the charge on the batting ranking, as he moved up two slots to 40th position, following scores of 48 and 47 in the second Test, which West Indies lost by 241 runs. They lost the first Test by an innings and 114 runs and will try to avoid a whitewash in the final Test in Edgbaston starting on Friday.
Wicketkeeper/batsman Joshua de Silva was rewarded for his first innings score of 82 in that match, as he jumped seven places to 61st, while Jason Holder’s 27 and 37 saw him inched up two places to 70th. Kavem Hodge’s 120, which was his maiden Test century, pushed him into the top 80.
The Dominican batsman moved 21 places up to 75th, one spot behind Kyle Mayers, who, despite being out of action, remains in 74th. Alick Athanaze held firm in 77th, while discarded Jermaine Blackwood (50th), Tagenarine Chanderpaul (83rd), Roston Chase (86th), and Kirk McKenzie (100) are the other Caribbean batsmen in the top 100.
On the bowling chart, new-ball bowlers Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales made the only notable improvements to their rankings. Joseph moved up two places to 33rd after finishing with five wickets in the match, and Seales moved up 10 places from 44th to 34th with six wickets.
Meanwhile, England batter Harry Brook has achieved a career-best third position after notching a century in the second Test.
Brook, who scored 36 and 109 in Nottingham, advanced four places, while his teammates Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope have also made significant gains in the latest weekly update to the men’s rankings, which are carried out on Wednesdays across formats.
Left-handed opener Duckett has progressed six places to 16th position after notching scores of 71 and 76, while Player of the Match Pope has advanced from 29th to 21st with scores of 121 and 51.
Chris Woakes is back into the top 20 of the bowling rankings for the first time since September 2021, after he finished with four for 84 and two for 28 in the match, while spinner Shoaib Bashir has advanced 18 slots to 53rd position after he took his third five-wicket haul in just his fifth Test.
In the ICC World Test Championship standings, England are placed in sixth place, while West Indies are ninth, as per the percentage points that determine qualification.
SunThe match will be held on March 8-11 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG) ahead of the two-Test matches which will be played at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. Several members of the West Indies Test team that beat Bangladesh in the recent series have been included among the players named while other recent Test squad players will be participating in the CGI Insurance ODI Series from March 10-14.
“The ‘Best v Best’ game is firstly part of our preparation for the Test series against Sri Lanka. It gives the players who performed well in the last West Indies Championship an opportunity to showcase their skills, playing against each other, which we expect to be very competitive and put forward a case for themselves. It is a chance to raise their stock and show what they can do,” said Chief Selector Roger Harper.
“The Test series win in Bangladesh was a real joy to watch. The results were brilliant, but it was the passion, the application and the determination, as well as the team spirit that were exactly what we wanted to see.
“It was most encouraging to see everyone pulling together and working hard for each other and enjoying each other’s success. I think the team performed much better than many people thought they were capable of doing. I am really looking forward to seeing the team move forward and build from here.”
Below are the squads for the Best v Best match.
SQUAD A: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Shamarh Brooks, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Derval Green, Keon Harding, Shimron Hetmyer, Kavem Hodge, Paul Palmer jr, Veerasammy Permaul, Kieran Powell, Preston McSween and Jayden Seales.
SQUAD B: Roston Chase (captain), Sunil Ambris, Nkrumah Bonner, Jermaine Blackwood, John Campbell, Jahmar Hamilton, Chemar Holder, Imran Khan, Marquino Mindley, Shayne Moseley, Raymon Reifer, Nial Smith, Jomel Warrican.
Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel have been rested for this match due to their workload management.
England host the Windies in three Test matches behind closed doors next month as international cricket returns following the coronavirus pandemic.
Star bowler Archer was born in Barbados and represented West Indies at Under-19 level before opting to play for England.
He is close friends with Windies duo Shai Hope and Chemar Holder, as well as being a former team-mate of Alzarri Joseph and Preston McSween.
But Roach insists Archer's relationship with many of the squad will have no impact on the cricket that will be played.
The series will be the fast bowler's first Test encounters against his former team, following their Cricket World Cup duel last year.
"Jofra made his decision and he's done a fantastic job for England so far but there will be no friendships during this series," said Roach, who is also from Barbados.
"It's all about winning and playing hard cricket. We will devise a plan for our batsmen to counter him and I'm looking forward to that battle.
"I saw him as a youngster in domestic cricket back home in Barbados and always thought he was talented. He has come over here and shown what he can do.
"I want to wish him all the best in his career. But you will definitely see if we have any words for him on the field when that comes around."
West Indies defeated England 2-1 in the Caribbean last year, with Roach taking 18 wickets, including a five-for when the tourists collapsed for 77 in Barbados.
They have not won a series in England since 1988 but Roach believes there are factors working in his side's favour as they bid to retain the Wisden Trophy.
"[England is a] fast-bowling paradise, it's different conditions to the Caribbean and the ball will do a bit more here," he said.
"We saw what happened in the Caribbean and that's pretty fresh in our minds. If we can get stuck into the batsmen we will have a great chance of defeating England.
"The [five-for] was definitely one of the highlights of my career. It was at home in front of friends and family, one of the best performances I've put down, especially as we went on to win the series.
"I'm proud of the team for what we did then but we've moved on now. It's all about taking the Wisden Trophy back to the Caribbean.
"The strong England support they have here can play a part. Now [without fans] it's a more level playing field.
"When July 8 comes, let's see how it goes and how fast we can adapt and get stuck into the English."
After winning the toss and choosing to bowl first because of, according to captain Kieron Pollard, the presence of some ‘juice’ in the pitch, the West Indies produced one of their best bowling displays in a long time to wreck the England batting line-up for just 103 in 19.4 overs.
Jason Holder took his best bowling figures in T20s with 4-7 off 3.4 overs and he was supported by Sheldon Cottrell who claimed 2-30 from his four overs.
Chris Jordan top-scored for the English with 28 and Adil Rashid added 22.
The West Indies looked comfortable in their chase, only losing one wicket before getting to the target in just 17.1 overs.
Brandon King got his second T20I 50, finishing not out on 55, while Nicholas Pooran finished not out on 20.
The second match of the series takes place tomorrow at the same venue and time.
Since 1994, the teams have played 10 series between them, with the West Indies winning two and Sri Lanka winning three. The rest have ended in draws. None of the West Indies wins have come in Sri Lanka. In fact, the West Indies are yet to win a match in Sri Lanka and suffered a 2-0 loss on their last visit in 2016.
Brathwaite believes the current squad, who did experience some success on the continent in February with a win over Bangladesh, is capable of finally breaking this long-running trend.
“I was here in 2016, my first series here and we lost both matches. As a youngster it didn’t feel good just coming into the team. Now I’m looking forward to these games, I think we have a very good team,” Brathwaite told members of the media on Thursday.
“This team is ready to go, and we are ready to break the shackles and win some games in Sri Lanka this time around,” he added.
The West Indies face Sri Lanka in a two-Test series in the Caribbean earlier this year, which ended in a 0-0 draw.
West Indies fast bowler Shamar Joseph’s stellar debut year has earned him a nomination for the ICC Emerging Men’s Cricketer of the Year award, highlighting a bright spot for Caribbean cricket after a challenging year.
The announcement came as the International Cricket Council (ICC) revealed the first wave of shortlists for its prestigious 2024 awards.
In an extraordinary finish at Kensington Oval, the Windies went past their target of 238 with one ball remaining in the second ODI.
Sheldon Cottrell hit a six off the second last ball of the innings to give the hosts a 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
But Ireland were left to lament what could have been after an incredible finish to the contest.
Paul Stirling (63) had guided Ireland to 237-9 after they elected to bat first, with Alzarri Joseph (4-32) again starring for the Windies.
Rain delays impacted the Windies' chase as Nicholas Pooran (52) and Kieron Pollard (40) looked to have them on track for victory.
Hayden Walsh made an unbeaten 46, but it still took a nervy finish for the hosts to get over the line.
Ireland almost found a decisive run out off the third ball of the final over, but replays were inconclusive as to whether Mark Adair broke the stumps with the ball or his hands with Cottrell well short of his ground.
They should have sealed victory off the next ball after a mix up between Walsh and Cottrell but, with both batsmen almost stranded at one end, the latter recovered after Adair was unable to cleanly take a throw.
That would be Ireland's last chance as Cottrell smashed a six over covers off the next ball to clinch victory.
The final game of the series is at St George's on Saturday.
The 25-year-old has to date been cast in the role of a short-ball specialist, having made 21 T20I appearances for the West Indies and 25 One Day International (ODI) matches. Pooran is, however, yet to make any Test match appearances.
Richards has, however, seen enough in the play of the batsman to suggest he could be a very viable option for the four-day format, where the West Indies has struggled to make any headway in recent years.
“We could look at that and I think he could be a serious option down in the middle order, with the gloves on as well. These are some of the things they may have to look at because I think he has got a serious head on him in terms of the way he thinks. He looks pretty serious and the way he would have adapted so far at the highest level, I just think that could be another option,” Richards told the Good Morning Jojo radio program.
“He is a power player as well, and he has got the ability to play all formats, but it is just sometimes you have coaches telling you what they think you should be doing and the things they think you’re good at, but sometimes I believe you have to give these guys a chance. If they have it in mind that they would love to play all these various formats, then why not.”
The 36-year-old all-rounder was recalled recently to the West Indies squad that defeated Sri Lanka 2-0 in their T20 internationals in early March.
He sees where the Caribbean side, two-time world champions, can rise to the top once more despite a fall-off in form that has seen them currently ranked 10th in the ICC T20 rankings. Those signs he said were evident during the Sri Lanka series.
"Prior to that [T20I series in Sri Lanka], we weren't really consistent as a team over the years in T20 cricket. We T20 guys had a chat among ourselves along with the management and made a pledge that we want to start back winning series. We said we wanted to be back being the most dominant team in the T20 format,” said Bravo who over the past decade, established himself as one of the best T20 players in the world and one of the format’s best bowlers with almost 500 wickets.
He argued that the West Indies have too many world-class T20 players not to show it on the field of play.
"We have to stamp our authority,” he said.
"We have produced some of the best players in the world and when we are together in the same team, we have to stamp our authority, and to get the cricketing world to respect West Indies cricket again and especially West Indies' T20 team. We said, 'All hands on deck, let's start with this Sri Lanka series and make sure we send the message.'"
England return to Test action next month with three matches against West Indies in the bio-secure stadiums in Manchester and Southampton, and they are set to be without skipper Joe Root when the first contest begins on July 8.
Root is due to leave the team bubble to be with his wife for the birth of their second child and he will require a seven-day period of self-isolation before returning to camp.
That means vice-captain Stokes is set to deputise as skipper, despite concerns from former captain Kevin Pietersen that such a role would curb the all-rounder's attacking instincts.
Stokes is determined to remain the same man, though, even if he admits it will be hard to get the ball out of his hand when he is on a roll.
Stokes said: "If it's flat, I'll just chuck the ball to Jofra [Archer] and Broady [Stuart Broad] and Jimmy [Anderson] and say, 'On you go!'
"It is a tough one because when Joe asks me to come and bowl… if I'm not bowling well I know, right, I'm probably going to be taken off here.
"But then when I feel like I'm in a really good rhythm and don't want to be taken off, Joe doesn't say, 'Keep going.' He sort of looks and goes, 'One more?' And he'll say that for another four or five overs.
"I guess I might have to be a little bit more mindful as I'm the person who's making that decision, but if I've got the ball in my hand or I've got the bat in my hand, I would like to think I'm still going to have to that same mentality as I always do.
"I've been in so many different situations in the field as a batter and as a bowler that I can always relate back to them and think, 'Right, what did Joe expect of me in this situation?' But it's a tough one isn't it to know if you are feeling good as a bowler when to keep yourself on."
While others such as Alastair Cook, Andrew Strauss and Root had been earmarked to be England captain long before they were eventually handed the role, Stokes acknowledged few would have considered him as a skipper-in-waiting.
However, the 29-year-old believes he is ready for the position having played in 63 Tests since his debut in 2013.
"I've been a senior player since 2016 under Cooky and since Joe's been in charge," he added.
"Being able to learn from Alastair Cook and Rooty in terms of different situations throughout the game has rubbed off on me and will put me in good stead for all the different situations that a Test match can throw at you.
"At the same time, we've got some really experienced guys out in the field who I can use. We've got Jimmy, Broady, who've just got ample Test matches and wickets between them. There's so many people that you can throw ideas off.
"I would like to think I would be quite an open captain and wouldn't want my way is the only way. I don't think that's the best way to operate.
"There's 11 guys out in the field so why not get 10 other opinions on something that you're thinking about?"
