Windies’ fortunes in One-Day Internationals in the last few years have been appalling. The off-field controversy between the players and the cricket board have made it tough for the team to deliver. Windies, who had won the first two editions of the World Cup, have not a bilateral ODI series since 2014. They have won just two of their last nine ODIs and are currently languishing at ninth spot in the ODI rankings.
They could not qualify for the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013 and made it to this year’s World Cup only through the Qualifiers last year. However, Richard Pybus and Trevor Bayliss, head coaches of Windies and England respectively, feel that Windies have the potential not only to spring a surprise in the World Cup but also go all the way.
The mood in the Windies camp is upbeat at the moment. They recently beat England in the Test series and have done well in the first two ODIs. Moreover, the Caribbean outfit is bolstered by the return of some of their star players. Darren Bravo, who didn’t play international cricket for close to two years, made a comeback to the fold for the limited-overs series in Bangladesh last year. Chris Gayle is playing in the ongoing ODI series versus England, while Andre Russell has been picked for the final two games of the series. The likes of Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer have already proved their credentials.
“I know the right West Indies combination with a fully-focused side can beat anyone on their day,” Richard Pybus, the Windies’ interim coach, noted. “I wasn’t at the World Cup qualifiers but, with the group of guys we have now, we feel confident (we) could take down anyone on their day.”
“The Windies have been playing some decent cricket over the last 18 months,” said Bayliss. “With the size of their batters and the way some of them hit the ball, there can be a chance of winning that World Cup.”
The World Cup will get underway on May 30. Windies, on the other hand, will start their campaign on May 31 against Pakistan.