Let’s build on this: Powell likes Windies trajectory despite World Cup exit

CAPTAIN Rovman Powell has said he is satisfied with the progress West Indies have made over the past 12 months, despite being eliminated in the Super Eight stage of the 2024 International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup, and wants his team to build on it.

West Indies lost to South Africa by three wickets under the Duckworth-Lewis method in a Super Eight group two match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on June 23. West Indies were limited to 135/8 in 20 overs batting first.

South Africa were 15/2, before a rain delay stopped play for more than an hour. Chasing a revised target of 123 in 17 overs, South Africa closed on 124/7 in 16.1 overs to qualify for the semifinals.

Powell is satisfied with the strides West Indies have made.

"Not just this tournament, but the cricket that we have played over the last 12 months (has been creditable)," Powell said. "To take 12 months to move from number nine in the world to number three in the ICC rankings is an absolutely amazing jump.

"It is for us as a team to continue working. It is for us as a team to stay closely knitted and it is for us as a team to continue building."

Before the T20 World Cup, West Indies won four of their last five T20 series between March 2023 and May 2024.

Powell knows the next T20 World Cup is just two years away and is hopeful the core players will still be in the team.

The Windies skipper said he will take it upon himself to encourage players to represent the regional team, despite the lure of lucrative franchise leagues around the world.

"It is always a case for me as a captain to continue to motivate guys to play for West Indies. The driving force of franchise cricket and the money that comes with franchise cricket makes it always difficult for West Indies, as a small board, to field their best team, but I think it has been good so far for the last year or two, and hopefully guys will mainly choose to play for West Indies. There is a buzz around the region now in playing for the West Indies, so hopefully that continues and we continue on the right path."

Looking back at the World Cup, Powell said, "I think when you look on the larger picture it is a disappointing World Cup. We wanted to win, just like any other team, but we just weren't able to win tonight (Sunday)."

Powell felt West Indies fell short in the batting department against South Africa.

"As a team we played some good cricket. We played good cricket in patches and tonight was a night where our batters were 15-20 runs short on a difficult wicket."

He said the batsmen needed to change their approach on the surface.

"I think it is just a case of the wicket not being an easy wicket to bat on, to be honest. It needed a little bit more grit, a little bit more determination than we showed.

"If you should look on how both teams batted on it, even South Africa kind of struggled to get the 136 runs that we made.

"It was not the easiest of surfaces, but as players we have to adapt and come up with solutions."

Despite the hype leading up to the South Africa match, Powell said his team tried not to be overwhelmed by the big stage. "To be honest, the emotions were level, level in the sense where the guys left the hotel wanting to play for the people of the Caribbean, wanting to win, and we just weren't successful tonight.

"It's sport, it is a game of cricket, and those things do happen."

The build-up to the games included a performance of Rally Round the West Indies by David Rudder.

Powell said the team appreciated the support during the tournament.

"It means a lot. For cricket to be buzzing again in the Caribbean is a very good feeling when we turned up to all those venues. We started in Guyana and it was fantastic; and then we moved to Trinidad, with a sold-out crowd; we went to St Lucia, which was beautiful also; and then we went to Barbados with a sold-out crowd again; and coming to Antigua to see so much people around the Caribbean, rallying around, giving us a buzz, is very, very important, and it goes to show how important cricket is in the region and unifying the Caribbean islands."