Going from bad to worse

IF ANYONETHOUGHT that the 27 all out by the West Indies versus Australia last July in Jamaica was the worst they would experience, they did not have to wait long for another shame face.

This, as earlier this week, the West Indies was defeated by Nepal, 2-1 in a T/20 International series played in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

It was more embarrassing for the regional side, because although they did not field their best squad, it showed that the reserves are not good enough even against Nepal that is ranked 18th in the world.

More so, the West Indies team featured six players who have represented the West Indies in the shortest format for several years now.

In addition, all players selected were fresh from competing in the 2025 Republic Bank’s Caribbean Premier League.

Therefore, the 19-run defeat in the first T/20I, followed by the 90-run loss in the second does not speak well for what is in store for the West Indies, given that is the format in which they are most comfortable.

Saving face by winning the last T/20I by 10 wickets could not remove the hurt of the previous two matches, when the regional cricket psyche and pride were dented to the core.

But ,sadly, West Indies’ continued poor performances all round is like water off a duck’s back for some as they cannot care whether the region’s once pride and joy does well or not.

Not even the players seemed perturbed by the degradation of West Indies Cricket, as they use it as a conduit for exploits on the global franchise scene.

Similarly, cricket administrators are clueless as to the next move to arrest the protracted downturn of the regional game.

Their efforts of consultations, commissions, reports, and other approaches have all fallen flat, except for the sporadic reasonable returns in all formats.

Beyond the behind-thescenes shenanigans of the decision makers of Cricket West Indies, including the insane appointment of Darren Sammy as the sole selector and kingpin of the senior team, there are more inherent issues plaguing West Indies Cricket.

Looking in the opposite direction, doing so unchartered, West Indies as a collective has attained the unwanted label among the minnows.

No one looks at the legacy of being at the pinnacle of world cricket in the 1980s and 1990s; what counts is the now, and little has formed an asset base of success with any degree of assurance and calculated progression.

What then occurs are fleeting moments to shout about and provide temporary relief for the excruciating pain for those who keep West Indies Cricket in their possession of interest.

That consistent inconsistency has left the coffers of Cricket West Indies almost dry as they have not found favour with the big boys at the International Cricket Council.

As such,West Indies gets the crumbs from the table of the ICC, thus extending the gulf and disparity that exists within the structure of the international cricket body.

Hence, the regional cricket bosses have had headaches in balancing the books, in order to stay financially afloat.

With no reprieve in sight, further insult was added to injury, when earlier this week, Cricket West Indies announced plans to cut development tournaments, all because of its cash-strapped status.

Consequently, come 2026, CWI’s Under-17 tournament will be scrapped.

Also under the hammer are the women’s tournaments which will see a merger across formats.

Immediately though, starting this November with the Regional Super- 50, the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC), and the West Indies Academy have been axed from the men’s tournaments.

Therefore, the two, which provided young players who were unable to get into either the Barbados, Jamaica, Leewards, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago or the Windwards, teams would now no longer get a shoo-in with either the CCC or the Academy outfit.

Then with all that is happening, we are indeed going from bad to worse, with no foreseeable light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.