According to a research that was commissioned by Cricket West Indies, the sport of cricket in the West Indies may “end to exist” unless the problem of its players prioritising participation in global Twenty20 tournaments over their responsibilities for the national team is rectified (CWI).
After West Indies’ shocking early exit from the T20 World Cup in Australia a year ago, a report from a three-man panel comprised of a former captain and batting great Brian Lara, an experienced South African coach Mickey Arthur, and a senior judge Patrick Thompson was commissioned. The panellists were Brian Lara, Mickey Arthur, and Patrick Thompson.
The West Indies have had difficulty fielding a team because many of their players are required to participate in the Indian Premier League and other Twenty20 tournaments around the world.
It is necessary that some sort of compromise be reached between the two sides. The research stated that if this scenario occurs, “West Indies cricket may cease to exist as an entity.”
“This group does not indulge in doomsday predictions but no entity, sporting or otherwise, has a viable future if its talent is not harnessed and effectively managed,” the report added. [Citation needed] “This group does not indulge in doomsday predictions but no entity, sporting or otherwise, has a viable future if its
According to the research, it is not in the best interests of West Indies cricket for our top players to compete in every global league while also having the opportunity to play for the WI Team on an optional basis.
In order to find a way out of what the report referred to as a “impasse,” the report recommended having a “open and candid conversation” about the problem.
According to the study, one of the problems that is preventing players and CWI from coming to a better understanding about player schedules and availability is the long-standing disagreements between the two parties.
The report stated that “there is significant distrust between the players and administration,” and that “this distrust is inimical to ensuring that the best 11 players turn out for the WI Team in every match.” “In the view of this group, there is significant distrust between the players and administration,” the report said.
A number of suggestions were included in the report with the goal of enhancing the performance of the West Indies cricket team in preparation for the Twenty20 World Cup in 2024, which would be held in both the Caribbean and the United States.
The authors, however, did not support the concept of having a different coach for red ball and white ball teams because of the short quantity of Test cricket that is being played.
They also proposed that crucial players for the Twenty20 team should be given more opportunities to play in test matches so that they can become accustomed to the playing conditions and the quality of the competition.
Only England has accomplished the feat of winning the T20 World Cup on two separate occasions; West Indies’ victories in 2012 and 2016 put them in sole company with England in that regard.
But in Australia, the Caribbean side came last in their group, behind Zimbabwe, Ireland, and Scotland. They were eliminated in the first round.
The report stated that the team was “underprepared,” and it blamed their lack of readiness on the short amount of time that passed between the T20 World Cup and the Caribbean Premier League tournament.
According to the research, the talent pool of Caribbean athletes runs the risk of being used by others unless changes are made to the current system.
“W.I. cricket is not lacking in talented players, but due to our relatively small population size in compared to other countries that play cricket, we cannot afford to lose any talented players.”
“Cricket West Indies (CWI) must build and create clear routes for the identification, development, and management of talent in order to be successful.”
If this continues, the Western Ireland Cricket Association stands the risk of being used by other professional leagues that have the financial means to recruit and train our players for their own advantage.
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