IPL helped WI to winT20 seriesvs India

THE EDITOR: Thank you, West Indies, you guys owed us that victory; it’s been a tough couple of months for the region.

Now some people would say it was expected because Kohli, Sharma, Jadeja and maybe Bumrah wasn’t playing, that it was a second-string Indian team, or they’re just testing their bench strength. Nonsense, that Indian team was a full-strength squad. In fact, it was an IPL best 11.

A lot of fans and commentators recently, post our failure to qualify for the ODI World Cup, were and still are claiming that the IPL has destroyed West Indies cricket. I disagree. The IPL has helped West Indies cricket. The West Indies just won a T20 series against the best T20 nation in the world. It's ike being beaten by South Africa in the second T20 with that crazy scoreline and still winning the series away from home.

We were two-nil up against India and left it to the last game to seal the series. I see self-confidence, those guys holding their nerve and backing themselves, despite being under threat. Same with England not too long ago. Hopefully we can repeat that later this year.

Not being in the ODI World Cup this year means that we are favourites going into the T20 World Cup next year. I agree with Daren Sammy, we need to get that Rashid Khan/Narine/Kuldeep player in our playing 11 to add depth to our bowling unit ­– maybe Sinclair or Cariah. West Indies cricket has shown that there is the talent, the tools and the right people to return us to the top of the world.

Above all, Sammy has shown that our mentality is the missing puzzle in our cricket. And rightfully so, Kraigg Brathwaite, WI players have a crucial six months ahead to do some deep introspection and reinvent themselves to bring glory to the region.

Well done, fellas. WI, move on!

KENDELL KARAN

Chaguanas