A devastating blow for West Indies cricket as the team suffered a narrow defeat against Zimbabwe by 35 runs in a crucial match of the ICC World Cup Qualifiers. This loss has diminished the dream of West Indies to qualify for the World Cup 2024. Securing a spot in the ICC World Cup 2024 now appears gloomy, pushing West Indies cricket to the brink of its lowest point, where the light of hope seems distant. Failing to reach in World Cup could lead West Indies cricket to the road from where come-back will not be easy.
For the past two decades, West Indies cricket has been marred by consistently poor performances across all formats. The popularity of the sport in the Caribbean has been on the decline, with fewer fans showing up to stadiums and watching matches. The failure to qualify for the Champions Trophy in 2017 and the inability to progress to the main round of the T20 World Cup 2022 have already declined their cricket. Additionally, their performance in the World Test Championship 2021-2024 was abysmal, finishing in 8th position out of nine teams, winning only 4 out of 13 matches, and failing to secure a single victory overseas shows the terrifying condition.
The condition of West Indies cricket is simply deplorable, with words like pathetic, poor, and miserable falling short to describe the state they find themselves in. The World Cup 2024 qualification presented a chance for the West Indies to revive their cricketing fortunes and keep the flame of West Indies cricket alive. However, if they fail to qualify, it will only intensify the depletion of West Indies cricket.
What happened Yesterday?
In the crucial match between Zimbabwe and West Indies, West Indies won the toss and chose to bowl first. The pitch favored the bowlers initially, and the West Indies bowlers did a commendable job, keeping the Zimbabwean batsmen quiet and taking a couple of wickets. At one point, Zimbabwe was struggling at 112/4. However, a crucial partnership of 87 runs between Sikander Raza and Ryan Burl turned the tide in Zimbabwe’s favor. In the end, with the help of the lower-order batsmen, Zimbabwe managed to post a competitive total of 268 runs.
In reply, West Indies got off to a fiery start, with the openers quickly adding 43 runs. However, the Zimbabwean bowlers fought back, taking two wickets in quick succession. Shai Hope and Kyle Mayers then built a solid 64-run partnership, but Mayers’ dismissal due to a poor shot selection dented West Indies’ hopes. Hope and Pooran tried to get the scoreboard ticking but in the 24th over, one bowl of Sikader Raza deceived Hope and, extinguished the remaining hope for West Indies. The team subsequently crumbled under the pressure, with Zimbabwe’s bowlers taking wickets at regular intervals. In the end, some good bowling and poor shot selection led to a 35-run victory for Zimbabwe.
Current Situation and Road Ahead for West Indies
West Indies is at No.3 spot in the group table behind Zimbabwe and Netherlands and now they have to play the Netherlands on Monday as their last game of the group stage. The fate of the West Indies is not completely in their hand, but in cricket ‘it’s not over until its over’ Their upcoming match against the Netherlands on Monday becomes even more critical. To keep their qualifying hopes alive, West Indies must win this match and strive for a significant margin of victory to improve their net run rate. If WI beats Netherlands tomorrow, Zimbabwe will Qualify with 4 points, West Indies will Qualify with 2 points and Netherlands will Qualify with 0 points in the Super Six.
In Super Six, teams from Group A will face the qualifiers from Group B. Sri Lanka is likely to qualify from Group B with 4 points. West Indies must defeat Sri Lanka convincingly, further improving their run rate, and hope for Sri Lanka to defeat Zimbabwe. In this scenario, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Zimbabwe will end the Super Six stage at 8 points each and the two teams that will qualify for the world cup 2024 will determine by the net run rate.
The road ahead for West Indies is challenging, and their fate is no longer entirely in their hands. They must win all their remaining games by substantial margins and rely on fortune to favor their cause. However, if they fails to qualify for the World Cup, it will mark the lowest point in their cricketing history, and the Caribbean will mourn the loss of the beloved sport. Ultimately, it is crucial for West Indies cricket and the global cricketing community that West Indies cricket survives and thrives.
