I think the cricket we have played in last 12 months or so is commendable: Rovman Powell

Rovman Powell, the captain of the West Indies, was proud of his team’s development over the previous 12 months despite the defeat. The West Indies captain spoke candidly about their T20 rankings’ quick increase.

South Africa and the West Indies played a thrilling match on Monday at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua during the Super Eight stage of the 2017 ICC T20 World Cup. Since the co-hosts lost the match, it was the end of their incredible tournament trip.

Despite managing to score a below-average 135 in the 20 overs that they were given, West Indies’ bowlers mounted a valiant comeback in the second innings. They had optimism because of the outstanding work of Roston Chase, who amassed 52 runs at bat and took three wickets with the ball. By taking three wickets using the DLS technique, South Africa was able to achieve a victory by reaching the amended goal of 123 runs in 16.1 overs.

“I believe we haven’t won the World Cup when you consider the big picture. The semifinals are not where we are. However, I believe the cricket we have played over the past 12 months or so is excellent. The crew deserves some credit. It’s amazing work if you can go from being ranked 9th to 3rd in the world in just one year.” Powell said during the post-game remarks.

“There was a significant improvement, even though we didn’t win the World Cup. West Indies cricket is generating a lot of excitement in the Caribbean once more. We have accomplished a number of excellent things in the past 12 months,” he continued.

It’s encouraging that cricket is once again gaining traction in the Caribbean: Rovman Powell

Powell added that the team’s home World Cup garnered a lot of support, which he saw as an indication that things are going well. Powell highlighted the need for the squad to be cohesive and put in more effort going forward.

That has been excellent. We as a team are grateful for every place we have played, as well as for the gifts and likes on social media that individuals have given us. We know how long cricket fever has faded, so it’s encouraging to see some of it return to the Caribbean. The West Indies are becoming the centre of attention for everyone. As players, we now experience something when the anthem is played. That is moving in the correct direction, in my opinion,” he continued.

Here’s when the job really begins. It’s up to us to stick together, stay close, and maybe—just maybe—we can keep moving up the rankings and inspire pride in the Caribbean people, Powell said.