After making big strides in ODIs cricket, now West Indies set their sight to T20I series against England. Their journey is commendable, especially considering that they were struggling not too long ago. They failed to qualify for the men’s T20 World Cup 2022, but since then, they have made some progress and achieved some consistency.
This was brought about by a couple of changes in the captaincy and coaching departments. As a result of these changes, some positive things have begun to emerge.
We saw how they played against South Africa, drawing the ODI series and winning the T20 series. Some key players rose to the occasion, and despite some experienced players leaving the West Indies team, they continued to make progress.
It was unfortunate that we didn’t see them play at the Cricket World Cup 2023 because, again, they are starting a new era. However, there is a sense of a new beginning for West Indies cricket. Now they have defeated England, the 2019 World Cup champions, in a three-match ODI series.
Andre Russell Added to West Indies Squad for T20I Series vs England
The focus now shifts to the 5-match T20 series, which starts on December 12th. There is a big boost for West Indies because Andre Russell, one of the best T20 all-rounders in the world, is back in the team after completing his duties in the T10 league.
The T20 World Cup will take place in June 2024, so whatever changes West Indies make in this upcoming series they should stick with. The way the team has been managed, consistently showing trust in a similar lineup to perform despite past struggles, is actually worthy of respect and admiration.
Russell has played T20 cricket around the world and has made a big impact in those games. Whenever he is playing, it is exciting to watch the kind of power he has. He is definitely a match-winner at any stage of the game in any format.
Bringing him back to the team was a wise decision, as it will add experience and ability. The younger players should definitely learn from him because, honestly, T20 cricket is West Indies’ strongest side.
When they play in this format, they look like an absolutely fascinating team that can dominate. This is because of the high quality of players they have.
West Indies to Persist with a Winning Combination
Adding to that, there will be Rovman Powell leading the side, Jason Holder, an experienced all-rounder, Akeal Hosein, and Nicholas Pooran, one of the best white-ball players for West Indies in the last two or three years. They are all match-winners in their own right.
Therefore, there is no way England could underestimate West Indies. To be fair, at this stage, West Indies seem superior to England in all departments of the game, whether it be batting, bowling, or simply the mindset.
All of this makes West Indies a better team and it’s good for them because the T20 World Cup is not very far away. If they can maintain a consistent team, back these players based on performance, and keep trust in the process, definitely the upcoming years can belong to this West Indies team.
