South Africa star Quinton de Kock’s refusal to take the knee today in a now commonplace gesture against racism, even at the expense of his place in the squad, is likely to have a long-term effect on his team’s chances at the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup. Today, though, the …
Read More »T2021 W/C: Pollard: ‘Unacceptable… but we won’t panic’; WI out for 55 in disastrous opener against England
The West Indies’ T20 World Cup title defence got off to a disastrous start today as, asked to bat first, the ‘Men in Maroon’ posted the third lowest total ever at this level, managing just 55 runs against England at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the UAE. Only 42-year-old …
Read More »T2021 W/C: WI lose final warm-up to Afghanistan by 55 runs, despite Chase half-century
West Indies lost their second and final warm-up match against Afghanistan today by 55 runs at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai and will start their ICC T20 World Cup defence on Saturday on the back of a three-game losing streak. The defending champions, WI are chasing an unprecedented third …
Read More »T2021 W/C: Akeal replaces injured Allen in WI squad; Motie drafted into reserves
Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein has been promoted to the West Indies’ 15-man T20 World Cup squad as a replacement for spinner/all-rounder Fabian Allen, after the latter player failed to recover from an unhealed right ankle injury. The ICC technical committee approved the change today. Hosein, a 28-year-old Trinbagonian, only debuted for …
Read More »T2021 W/C: WI batsmen smothered in 7-wkt warm-up loss to Pakistan, despite late Pollard cameo
In Dubai today, in the first of two warm-up games before their opening T20 World Cup cricket contest, Kieron Pollard’s West Indies failed to get going. In a comprehensive defeat to Pakistan, they managed only 130 for 7, going down by six wickets with 27 balls to spare. The ‘Maroon …
Read More »T2021 W/C: WI have explosive batsmen and wily death bowler, but large boundaries can be factor
“[…] No fewer than eight of the 15 players chosen, namely Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, captain Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell and Fabian Allen, have repeatedly proven themselves to be fully capable of winning T20 matches on their own, with their very powerful, often destructive …
Read More »T2021 W/C: Gayle’s last dance: in defence of the West Indies’ pick for the ‘Universe Boss’
“Yes, I want to play for West Indies—that’s where my heart is,” veteran West Indies cricket star Chris Gayle told ESPN, during an interview in March 2021. “I am never going to turn down anything pertaining to West Indies cricket at this particular time. “[…] Hopefully I can perform, help …
Read More »T2021 W/C: A reflection on selection, concussion and Romario’s extraordinary exhibition
For a selector, concussion is an occupational hazard. All the more, as Ken ‘Jaiks’ Jaikaransingh has already noted above, if you are a West Indian selector. Let me remind you of a truth every Trini sports fan knows: in T&T for certain, probably in the West Indies as a whole, …
Read More »T2021 W/C: ‘Reds’ and McWatt slam ‘stupefying and bewildering’ WI picks, offer their alternatives
“[…] We are also in full agreement with Sir Andy Roberts’ expressed disgust at the appalling treatment the selectors have meted out to Jason Holder. Not only has he been omitted from the final 15 but, adding insult to injury, he was named by as one of the four reserves. …
Read More »T2021 W/C: Come again, Mr Selector! One rule for Gayle, one rule for Rutherford?
“[…] On what basis does one exclude a player from meeting an absolutely necessary standard that is required for the rigours of an international tournament, particularly one that is fast-paced, intense and is likely to demand 40 overs of sustained pressure—the kind which this tournament is more than likely to …
Read More »T2021 W/C: Harper plays ‘rope-a-dope’ with media questions on Gayle, Darren Bravo and WI team
Roger Harper is tall, is built like a broad-shouldered boxer and was a great fieldsman and an off-spinner in his time on the cricket fields of the world. Relevance? At the media conference called to discuss—defend?—the 15-member squad selected by the West Indies lead selector and his panel for the …
Read More »Harper: WI can keep title with ‘rub of the green’; Rampaul, Roston, Gayle in 15-man squad—Holder in reserves
Thirty-six-year-old fast bowler Ravi Rampaul and 29-year-old all-rounder Roston Chase today both successfully forced their way into the 15-man West Indies squad for the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and Oman. West Indies are the defending champions and only two-time winners of the title—after triumphs …
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