West Indies' T20 flop in Sri Lanka

A comprehensive whipping by two games to one was inflicted on the West Indies in the recently concluded three-match T20 series against Sri Lanka in Dambulla, Sri Lanka. It is prudent to note that before the start of this tournament, Sri Lanka had never beaten West Indies in a T20 series.

It is sad to say, regardless of the outcome, that Cricket West Indies never deemed it necessary to state to a curious public just what was so important for four of their main players to announce their unavailability to participate in the series.

It severely weakened the team when two of its best stroke-makers, its experienced slogging all-rounder and its favourite spinner, who also opens the bowling, quite casually announced that they would be missing the series for personal reasons.

And because they are bigger than the game and don’t need to give a reason why they’re unavailable, they will be automatically included in the next team selected, provided they are available.

The first game of the series was an interesting and quite exciting game from which the WI trotted out winners. When the home team lost the toss and were sent in by WI skipper Rovman Powell, a couple of early wickets was a pleasant start for the tourists. Nonetheless, a final score of 179 is a decent score in a T20 game.

The blistering pace with which Brandon King (63) and Evin Lewis (50) set off, with a mixture of lovely strokes combined with some inelegance, including a dash of luck, sprinting to 74 in the six-over power-play, plus an opening partnership of 107, raised WI hopes for an early finish. However, the batting order wobbled in the middle, but the target was achieved off the first ball of the final over after losing five wickets.

One win and two games to go. Almost immediately, WI vice-captain Roston Chase gave an interview stating the team is on course to winning all three games of the series. This is so wrong. Players must keep their thoughts to themselves, especially when the subject is on the margins of victory.

When giving an interview the cricketer must be careful. Never talk about winning and losing, especially after being victorious in the first game. After hearing Chase, the angst of the Sri Lanka team’s coach and players, could be irritated to the point of using these utterances as a motivation. This includes groundsmen and officials, to ensure the pitch is set to suit their strengths for the following games. This is an international contest, hence, the home team can seek any advantage they may perceive.

The second game was a disaster for the visiting team. The Lankan spinners got the ball to turn viciously and, notwithstanding that, they achieved high bounce as well. These deliveries required an orthodox technique, backed up by intense concentration, plus the self-confidence to combat their guile; and it was obvious that the pitch was under-prepared, hence giving the spinners all the help they needed.

After scraping 89 runs in reply to 162, it was obvious the Caribbean cricketers hadn’t a clue how to apply the basics of good batsmanship to counteract this turning wicket. Sri Lanka’s medium-pace bowler bowled one over and the other 15.1 overs were bowled by spinners.

Chase’s observations after this game are classic.

He saidm, “I think they prepared the wicket in their favour, obviously with home advantage, and obviously we didn’t come out on top, so it’s for us to go back to the drawing board now and think about playing the spinning ball a bit more.” At this stage, while on tour?

Factually, in learning to develop the art of cricket one has to practise regularly, ensuring all the basics are attended to.

One can’t be a good batsman without knowing how to adapt to all conditions, hence, sound technique is critical. Adjustments needed for adaptation to bat successfully on all pitches, are to devote lots of time and effort in practising on sound pitches, thus the transformation would be natural and comfortable.

West Indies lost the final game of the series by nine wickets after compiling 162/8 in their 20 overs. West Indies’ spinners, or I should say slow bowlers, were not up to the standard required, plus the wicket gave no assistance to the quick bowlers.

The coach, Daren Sammy, made remarks about preparing for the 2026 World Cup and this was a moral victory to that end!

On Sri Lankan-prepared wickets, WI just could not compete.