Two times Champion West Indies Failed to qualify for the ICC World Cup 2023 staged in India. West Indies won the ICC World Cup edition of 1975 and 1979 but were not able to make the cut this time, as they are now officially eliminated from the World Cup. They have to win against Scotland in the Super Six Points Table to stand a slim chance of qualifications but were humiliatingly defeated by the latter. Matthew Cross and Brandon McCullen secured a fantastic win and kept the hopes alive for Scotland to qualify for the ICC World Cup 2023.
Scotland dismissed West Indies at 181, barring Jason Holder none of the other batters were able to consume more than 40 runs. Brandon McCullen eliminated both the openers, Brandon King at 22 and Johnson Charles at a duck, the former also ousted Shamarh Brooks at nil. The Skipper Shai Hope was ousted by an Unfortunate edge played by Safyaan Sharif. Holder and Shepherd appeared solid in the middle however this lead was also short lived as they were soon dismissed and sent back to the dugouts.
Following a subpar display in batting, the bowling performance exacerbated the situation and turned it into a nightmarish scenario for the West Indies. After losing an early wicket, Scotland held their nerves tightly, as Brandon McCullen at 69 and Mathew Cross at 74 , constructed a solid partnership, to seal the victory for their nation. McCullen wins the Player of the Match for his brilliant contribution with both bat and bowl.
West Indies Hopes Dashes For The Second Time
It is for the first time that West Indies has fumbled to qualify for the 50 over World Cup, thus the West Indies team will not travel for The ICC World Cup to India starting from 5th June onwards. However, this might be the first time WI failed to qualify for the 50 over match, but it is not the initial instance of their inability to qualify for the major ICC Tournaments. In 2017, they failed to qualify for the Champions trophy and also failed to qualify for the Super 12s of the last year’s T20 World Cup 2022.
The Notable players, Nicolas Pooran, Jason Holder, Shai Hope and Romario Shephard failed to make an impact in the ICC World Cup qualifier, they are also featured in the IPL and performed phenomenally but faced difficulty in delivering a satisfactory performance for their country.
Factors That Affected West Indies
For a team to emerge victorious, it is significant that team has forged bonds between players. West Indies feebleness lies on it’s lack of cohesion. There is no unity and positiveness in the group, and that instability has been evident in the group. West Indies management keep on recalling and reshuffling the players, which disrupts the team as players require a period to adapt to their roles and become familiar with their teammates’ playing styles. Moreover, inconsistent player selection, with frequent dropping and recalling, can generate uncertainty and undermine the team’s confidence, ultimately affecting the overall performance of the squad.
Additionally, a new coach amidst games halted the balance of the team, Carl Hooper was assigned the new assistant coach and head coach in the form of Darren Sammy. Holder was questioned about Carl Hooper’s characterization of the West Indies situation and described as “distressing,” Holder expressed his focus on disregarding external influences. However, he was then reminded that Hooper, serving as the new assistant coach, was actually a part of the team’s internal setup.
Another factor for West Indies’ failure, is the lack of opportunities, in past many legends came out of West indies who became world-class players, however now their is no proper guidance and mentorship that aids these players. The West Indies domestic Cricket culture has also came to risk as they failed to nurture the young players.
Crucially, West Indies must come together as a team and reflect upon the factors that contributed to their setbacks. It is vital for them to seek improvement and stage a resilient comeback.