West Indies white-ball coach Daren Sammy hailed his team’s performance after they passed their South Africa test with flying colours, culminating in a dominant eight-wicket victory at Sabina Park on Sunday. This win sealed a clean sweep of the three-match T20 International series, setting a positive tone for their final preparations ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup, which begins on June 1.
The West Indies secured their series victory with a comprehensive performance on Sunday, chasing down South Africa's target of 164 with 6.1 overs to spare. This win followed earlier victories on Thursday, May 23, by 28 runs and on Saturday, May 25, by 16 runs. The series was characterized by consistent team efforts, despite the absence of key players such as Rovman Powell, Nicholas Pooran, Shai Hope, Andre Russell, and Alzarri Joseph.
In the series finale, South Africa posted 163-8 from their 20 overs, with captain Rassie van der Dussen top-scoring with 51 off 36 balls. Debutant Wiann Mulder contributed a solid 36. The West Indies’ bowling attack was led by Player of the Series Gudakesh Motie, who took 2-21, supported by Shamar Joseph’s 2-26 and Obed McCoy’s 3-39.
The West Indies’ chase was spearheaded by an explosive opening partnership of 92 runs in just 6.4 overs between Johnson Charles and interim captain Brandon King. Charles, who was named Player of the Match for his blistering 69 off 26 balls, batted at a strike rate of 265, while King added 44 from 28 balls. Kyle Mayers (36 not out) and Alick Athanaze (6 not out) comfortably saw the hosts over the finish line.
Coach Darren Sammy, who led the West Indies to T20 World Cup victories in 2012 and 2016, praised his team’s all-around performance. "With the players that we had, we executed quite well,” he told Sportsmax.TV. “We were put under pressure in the Power Play in the second game but the way the guys responded and won convincingly; we got tested in the three departments – in the field, with the bat, and the ball – and the way the guys responded was just really good, so I would give them a nine (out of 10).”
Charles expressed satisfaction with his performance after struggling in the first two matches. “It was great. We have been working hard during the camp and in the series. Worked hard on our skills leading up to the World Cup, just enforcing the basics. Tried in the first two games, didn’t work out but came today (Sunday). It’s all about building confidence,” he said.
Stand-in captain Brandon King also shared his delight at leading the team to a commanding series win. “(I was) happy with my own performance,” he remarked. “Would’ve liked to carry my bat through to the end though. We understand each other’s games, playing a few years together. (This was) an important 3-0 win.”
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Teams and fixtures confirmed for Super 8 stage at ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024
The groups and fixtures for the Super 8 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 has been confirmed with both co-hosts West Indies and USA making it through to the second stage that will see the eight teams battle for a place in the semi-finals at the biggest cricket carnival spectacle ever.
Super 8 qualifiers are:
The eight teams will be divided into two groups:
Four of the Super 8 qualifiers have won the World Cup previously, India, England, West Indies and Australia. Super 8 matches will be played across four West Indies venues: Antigua and Barbuda (four matches), Barbados (three matches), Saint Lucia (three matches) and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (two matches).
Each team will play every other team in its group once, with the top two sides in each group qualifying for the semi-finals, to be played in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana on 26 and 27 June, respectively.
The Super Eight stage commences in Antigua on Wednesday 19 June with a clash between USA and South Africa at 10h30. That same evening West Indies take on old rivals, England in Saint Lucia. The two sides have a prolific cricketing history, with the co-hosts ensuring a dominant display at home against England in recent years.
Full Fixtures (Local time)
19 June
USA v South Africa, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua (10h30)
England v West Indies, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia (20h30)
20 June
Afghanistan v India, Kensington Oval, Barbados (10h30)
Australia v Bangladesh, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua (20h30)
21 June
England v South Africa, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia (10h30)
USA v West Indies, Kensington Oval, Barbados (20h30)
22 June
India v Bangladesh, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua (10h30)
Afghanistan v Australia, Arnos Vale, St Vincent (20h30)
23 June
USA v England, Kensington Oval, Barbados (10h30)
West Indies v South Africa, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua (20h30)
24 June
Australia v India, Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia (10h30)
Afghanistan v Bangladesh, Arnos Vale, St Vincent (20h30)
Cricket West Indies CEO calls for equitable distribution of finances in cricket
Cricket West Indies (CWI) CEO Johnny Grave has emphasized the need for a more equitable distribution of finances in international cricket, particularly in the World Test Championship (WTC). In a recent interview with ESPN Cricinfo, Grave highlighted several recommendations to address the financial disparities that smaller cricket boards like CWI face.
Currently, the WTC operates on a bilateral series model, where the home board retains all broadcast revenues, and the visiting team bears the cost of travel. This model significantly disadvantages smaller cricket boards, which often face substantial travel expenses. Grave suggested that the International Cricket Council (ICC) should centralize these costs to promote a more balanced financial structure.
"We have to have a league mentality that we're all in it together as the Test playing nations,'" Grave said. "And I think the World Test Championship is a start to that. I think it's gaining some momentum. I think it can be improved. Centralize flights and accommodation within the World Test Championship and take on those costs as the costs of the league rather than placing all that burden on the participating teams as we're so negatively disadvantaged by that."
India has toured the West Indies three times in the last five years, providing a substantial financial boost to CWI, which largely depends on media-rights money from Indian and English broadcasters. However, the travel costs for such tours can be prohibitive for the West Indies.
Grave also called for a more equitable distribution of ICC revenues, pointing out that the current system disproportionately benefits larger boards like the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which receives nearly 40 per cent of the ICC's revenue share.
"We made the point that we think there should be more equal revenue sharing of ICC distributions," Grave said. "And part of that equality was the spreading around the men's events."
He believes that hosting rights should not be monopolized by India, England, and Australia. Instead, they should be more evenly distributed among Full Member nations to ensure fair financial and competitive opportunities.
By addressing these financial inequalities and advocating for a more balanced approach to hosting world events, Grave believes that smaller cricket boards can become more sustainable and competitive on the global stage. His recommendations highlight the need for structural changes within the ICC to promote a more inclusive and equitable future for international cricket.
Powell says Windies ready for top of the table clash with Afghanistan
So far, the experience at the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup has been a fantastic one for the West Indies.
The two-time champions and joint hosts have won all three of their matches in Group C against Papua New Guinea, Uganda and New Zealand and have already secured a spot in the Super 8.
A win over Afghanistan in their final Group Stage game at the Daren Sammy Cricket Stadium in St. Lucia on Monday will see them advance as winners of Group C.
Their opponents also have three wins in as many games and are currently top of the group with a superior net run rate, 4.230 to 2.596.
West Indies skipper Rovman Powell addressed the media on Sunday ahead of Monday’s encounter.
“Obviously, it's a top of the table clash. Afghanistan have been playing good T20 cricket and consistent T20 cricket. They have a lot of match winners. So, it's something that we have to come with our best game. As I said before, they're playing good T20 cricket. So, it's an opportunity for us to play against another world class side. Very good practice going into the Super 8 games,” he said.
The hosts have played their three games in Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago and are looking forward to playing at the Daren Sammy Stadium in St. Lucia, a pitch known as one of the better ones in the region for batting.
“Yeah, definitely. When we look on the schedule, all the batters were excited to come to St. Lucia. Traditionally, St. Lucia have been a place where batters like to bat. It's also an opportunity for bowlers to bowl good spells here, especially the fast bowlers. We think that St. Lucia offer 60 - 40 in terms of, from a batting perspective, to bowl. And so, if you are a bowler, or if you are a batter, you definitely can get something out of the St. Lucia wicket,” Powell said.
One major concern for the West Indies has been the form of opener Johnson Charles who has scored 44 runs in three games, so far, with all 44 of those runs coming against Uganda.
Powell says he expects Charles to come good at some point and is encouraging him to continue to be aggressive at the top of the innings.
“It's just a case of us telling him to be Johnson Charles, be his natural self. If he's an aggressive player, we expect him to play aggressive. But with that aggression, we know at some point he will fail and at some point, he will come good. So, it's for us now to support him, it's for us now to give him that additional backing that he needs and I think everyone is behind him to come good tomorrow or when he gets the opportunity in the future games,” he said.
Since the tournament, the regional side have climbed up to number three in the ICC T20 International rankings.
Naturally, a team playing a home World Cup will face pressure to perform well but this bump in ranking will only magnify that pressure.
Powell says the team is aware and ready for the challenge ahead.
“I think pressure is always there, especially when you're at home, especially when you're playing a World Cup at home. Pressure is always there, but it's for us as individuals to manage that pressure,” he said.
“I think for me as captain, when I started this journey 12 or 14 months ago, when I took over as captain, we were at eight or nine in the ranking. To see us at number three now in the world is a pleasing feeling. And it shows that not just myself, but the players are coming together and we're doing something right. I've never played in a West Indies team that is ranked number three in the world. So that for me is something special and hopefully, just hopefully, we can continue to climb those rankings,” he added.
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