West Indies’ assistant coach Carl Hooper said if the two-time ODI World Cup winners aren’t able to finish in the top two teams and secure their ticket to the main event happening in India in October-November, then the side will go a step lower while adding that their current status is distressing.
Just like in 2018, the West Indies must take the route of the Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers starting from Sunday for securing a ticket to the showpiece event. West Indies are currently ranked tenth in men’s ODI cricket, below Bangladesh and Afghanistan, who qualified for this year’s World Cup via automatic qualification.
“The position hasn’t changed. The point is can we go lower than this? Yes, we can go lower than this and if we don’t qualify, we go a step lower. Never thought that I’d live to see the day when West Indies are trying to qualify for major tournaments. I sat in Australia, and we struggled to get through it in the T20s and here we are in Zimbabwe,” Hooper was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo, in a press conference in Harare.
Last year, West Indies had failed to make it to the Super 12 stage of the Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia, losing to Scotland and Ireland in Hobart. “No disrespect to the other teams, but we’re playing against the likes of the USA, Nepal and Scotland. Even Afghanistan is ahead of us, and Bangladesh has gone ahead of us.”
“So, this is distressing, and can we go lower? Yes, we can go lower. This game continues to remind you that until you start doing the right things, you can go lower. As I said before, I never thought I would live to see this day, but here I am in Zimbabwe, starting a game on Sunday. We’ve got to try and beat the USA,” added Hooper, the former West Indies captain.
West Indies enter the tournament under the guidance of a new coach in the form of Daren Sammy, the only men’s captain to have won the T20 World Cup twice, and a new skipper in Shai Hope, apart from a 3-0 series win over UAE in Sharjah, as well as warm-up victories over them and Scotland.
“We’re ready. I mean you get a feel, and you get a vibe for the energy in the team. I think Daren Sammy, as you know, is a fabulous, inspirational leader. Now he has been tasked, trying to get West Indies into the qualification, which will be massive for us.”
“So, the energy so far in Dubai and with the other boys joining us here in Zimbabwe has been great. We’re looking forward to the game on Sunday and I’m sure we will do well,” concluded Hooper.
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