July 1st 2023.
The mighty West Indies are on the brink of the lowest point in their cricketing history. The Cricket World Cup Qualifiers are currently underway in Zimbabwe, and the West Indies are struggling to make it to the ODI World Cup to be held in India later this year.
Fans have gone berserk as the Netherlands won after a 30-run Super Over in the ICC World Cup 2023 Qualifiers. The 'Calypso Kings' have their backs against the wall and require a miracle to make it to the team-team World Cup. Last year, they had failed to qualify for the T20 World Cup and this could be a double whammy for the West Indies.
For those who remember the halcyon days of the invincible West Indies, this is a sight to behold. They are a pale shadow of their former selves, having won two ODI World Cups back to back in 1975 and 1979 and almost won a third before India stopped them in their tracks. The swaggering Viv Richards and the menacing pace battery of Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall and Joel Garner used to torment sides around the world with their unbridled talent.
The West Indies' undoing has been their inability to get the basics right at the CWC Qualifiers. Fielding is such an important aspect of cricket and especially the one-day game, and the Caribbean side have been way below the mark in that department, having dropped at least 13 catches across four games to make life difficult for themselves.
Former West Indies skipper Darren Sammy was of the opinion that the West Indies' performance against the Netherlands was a true reflection of their status as an international side. Netherlands batsmen scurried for singles and twos at every given and opportunity and managed to find those much needed boundaries as well.
The current West Indies captain Shai Hope is a man who is fighting to keep hopes alive as the Windies stare at elimination. He asked from fans to continue supporting them despite the tough times. “The results won’t always go our way, but we definitely need to find ways to turn it around very quickly.”
West Indies cricket is in need of a turnaround in fortunes, and legions of their loyal fans are waiting for a new Caribbean renaissance. It will take immense effort and dedication from the West Indies team to make it happen, and all they can do is keep fighting and hope for the best.
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