Former India opening batsman Aakash Chopra has called for West Indies to be stripped of their Test-playing status. He believes that the team has been doing nothing in international cricket for a few years now and that they should be replaced by associate member teams from individual islands.
“They won’t be playing in the World Cup. In all three formats, they are lagging behind in the rankings. Eventually, there has to be a threshold,” Chopra argued during a question and answer session with Sportsekeeda.
“I have been talking about that tier system - promotion and relegation. Just because they are an erstwhile champion side, till when can you carry on with them as a Test-playing nation? The team, as such, is doing nothing.”
Chopra says that West Indies' lack of unity and coordination has been a major factor in their downfall, and that many top players prefer franchise cricket over representing West Indies.
“Their case is unique because they have separate islands. Their pitches are so slow. You saw it in Dominica and you will see it at Port of Spain as well. It’s not a bad idea. May be the island teams might play with more pride. All said and done, West Indies’ state of cricket is quite bad.
“The five fingers are split and everyone is thinking about themselves - be it Jamaica, Barbados, Antigua or Guyana. There is hardly any coordination. During their prime, Clive Lloyd kept them together. This team needs leadership, because it’s a scattered side. Every island nation has them own anthem. As it is, things were difficult and then players became T20 journeymen. The pride in playing for West Indies has reduced.”
Chopra's comments come at a time when West Indies are struggling both on and off the field. The team was recently hammered by India in the first Test in Dominica, and they are currently ranked ninth in the Test rankings. Chopra believes that the team needs to be shaken up, and that stripping them of their Test-playing status would be a wake-up call.
Chopra played 10 Tests for India between October 2003 and October 2004 scoring 437 runs at an average of 23.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
Molineux stars with 64 as Melbourne Renegades Women win second match in a row
Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin’s Melbourne Renegades Women got their second win in a row in the Women’s Big Bash League thanks to a brilliant batting display from captain Sophie Molineux against Adelaide Strikers Women at the Junction Oval in Melbourne on Sunday.
The Renegades, chasing 158 for victory, found themselves 52-5 in the ninth over when Molineux came to the crease to join Dottin.
The pair put on a crucial 79 runs before Dottin fell for 20. Seven runs later, Molineux fell for a match-winning 32-ball 64 including nine fours and three sixes.
Eventually needing six runs off the final over, Nicole Faltum and Sarah Coyte guided the Renegades to victory.
Darcie Brown, Amanda-Jade Wellington and Jemma Barsby took two wickets, each, for the Strikers in their efforts to defend what looked like a match-winning total.
Earlier, captain Talia McGrath led the way with 64 off 44 balls including eight fours and a six while Orla Prendergast supported well with 31 as the Strikers made 157-5 from their 20 overs after winning the toss.
Molineux took 2-39 from her four overs while Georgia Wareham and Alice Capsey split two wickets. Matthews and Dottin when wicketless in seven overs between them.
Australia recover from middle-order collapse to win Pakistan opener
Australia rallied to overcome Pakistan by two wickets in the first of three one-day internationals between the teams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Roared on by vocal travelling support, Pakistan were in the ascendency when their pacemen dropped Australia from 113-2 to 115-7, with the hosts chasing 204 for victory.
Harif Rauf dismissed three while Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Hasnain also got in on the act to decimate the hosts' middle order.
Naseem Shah had earlier scored 40 off 39 balls to salvage a score of 203 all out for the tourists, but a crucial cameo from captain Pat Cummins got Australia over the line.
Cummins calmly came up with an unbeaten 32 from 31 balls as the hosts sealed victory with 16.3 overs remaining, with even Sean Abbott's error in being run out for 13 failing to inspire a change in the momentum.
Bowler Mitchell Starc told ABC Grandstand after the match: "We probably didn't like that Patty and I had pads on, but it's a positive start to the summer.
"A win is a win no matter how you get there."
Data Debrief: Cummins leads from the front
Cummins' unbeaten 32 may not go down as his most memorable knock in ODIs, but it did equal his best innings for Australia in the format.
That proved crucial after Matthew Short (1), Jake Fraser-McGurk (16), Marnus Labuschagne (16), Aaron Hardie (10) and Glenn Maxwell (0) disappointed with the bat.
Australia, who have won both of their ODI series versus West Indies and England since lifting the World Cup in 2023, can now seal a series triumph in Adelaide on Friday.
Greaves makes history with magnificent 151* to lead Hurricanes to seven-wicket win over Red Force
Justin Greaves made history to lead the Leeward Islands Hurricanes to an impressive seven-wicket win over the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force in CG United Super50 Cup action at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Sunday.
Greaves, who is coming off scores of 111* and 112 in his first two games this season, became the first player in regional List A cricket to hit three consecutive hundreds when he hit his match-winning and career-best 151* to anchor a successful chase of 292 by the Hurricanes with two overs and three balls to spare.
The Bajan’s knock came off 129 balls and included 13 fours. Opening partner Mikyle Louis was good in support with 57 while Chesney Hughes and Jahmar Hamilton chipped in with 33 and 25*.
Earlier, the hosts made 291-6 off their 50 overs after being put in to bat by the Leewards. In form Amir Jangoo fell agonizingly short of a maiden List A hundred with 96 off 109 balls while Jason Mohammed and Tion Webster also got half centuries with 79* and 60, respectively.
Oshane Thomas took 2-54 off eight overs for the Hurricanes who will next play the Guyana Harpy Eagles at the same venue on Tuesday.
The Red Force will next oppose the West Indies Academy at the Sir Frank Worrell memorial Ground on Thursday.
Full Scores:
Trinidad & Tobago Red Force 291-6 off 50 overs (Amir Jangoo 96, Jason Mohammed 79*, Tion Webster 60, Oshane Thomas 2-54)
Leeward Islands Hurricanes 292-3 off 47.3 overs (Justin Greaves 151*, Mikyle Louis 57, Chesney Hughes 33, Jahmar Hamilton 25*)
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