PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Chief selector Roger Harper believes West Indies still have “a good shot” at winning this October’s Twenty20 World Cup in Australia, even though their recent form has seen them slump in the international rankings.
West Indies are the lowest ranked of all the major Test-playing nations at tenth in the rankings, only above the likes of minnows Zimbabwe, Ireland and Scotland.
Inside the last two years, the reigning T20 world champions have won just two of nine series and won just eight of 26 matches. “We have to be realistic here. We are the defending champions, yes, but at the same time we are not the number one ranked team in the world so that in itself tells us what has transpired since we won that last World Cup,” Harper said.
“While my memory doesn’t tell me where we ranked [when we won the 2016 event], I’m sure we were ranked much higher.
“That team we put out for that World Cup was filled with a lot of very experienced T20 specialists and now we have a little blend of a few of the experienced T20 players in there and some of the young guns coming through.”
He added: “But don’t get me wrong, I still think that we have a good shot of winning the tournament but I don’t think we’ll be going into the tournament as the overwhelming favourites.
“It’s a matter of getting what we think our best squad would be together, picking our best XI for each game and looking forward to them performing at their best and making smart decisions, and winning the critical moments of the game.”
West Indies underwent a change of leadership last September when seasoned campaigner Kieron Pollard replaced Carlos Brathwaite as captain. That move is yet to reap dividends, however, with West Indies winning just one in four series.
Significantly, since the successful 2016 campaign, the Windies have undergone several changes in personnel with Andre Russell often sidelined with injury, and questions remaining over the fitness of superstar opener Chris Gayle and off-spinner Sunil Narine.
In fact, of the XI which featured in the 2016 final against England, only Lendl Simmons and Russell featured in the most recent series against Sri Lanka earlier this month.
Harper said any squad chosen for the October 18 to November 15 event would comprise a blend of experienced and emerging players.
“We have a lot of young players in the squad – relatively young compared to the T20 champions of 2016 – but we also have a few of those champions in the team and I think they understand that part of their role is to nurture the young players and bring them on and guide them,” Harper explained. “And I think the coach (Phil Simmons) and the captain and the senior guys understand that and they are trying to do just that. But this break [for the coronavirus pandemic] has come and they won’t have the opportunity of playing a lot of those games where they would have the opportunity to learn more in competitive situations from those guys.”
The coronavirus has brought all major sporting events across the globe to a standstill and has raised serious doubt over the staging of the T20 World Cup.
Australia has reported nearly 6300 infections and 56 deaths, has also closed its borders and enforced strict social restrictions to mitigate against the spread of the virus.