Congrats to Zimbabwe But Windies, You’ve Got Quite Some Things to Resolve- Isn’t It?
West Indies lost the qualifying game against Zimbabwe [Twitter]
Depending on who you are, you will view the result of the critical group stage game between the West Indies and Zimbabwe differently- and maybe understanding this is more easier than solving some complex trigonometry puzzle.
If you are a Zimbabwean, a fan who’s seen the endless tumult that has often defined the fate of an already struggling side, you’d go home easy, as a happy man; you’d put your head on the pillow at night with much calmness than you’d ever imagine.
Contrasting fortunes
After all, it’s not everyday that a team that’s desperate to rebuild and regroup despite all that’s wrong back in its nation, gets a fresh new chance to prove the sporting world that all’s not over, and that it still is very much in contention to qualify for one day cricket’s checkered ICC event: the approaching World Cup.
At the fall of the final tenth West Indies wicket courtesy Tendai Chatara, who’d been struggling with the ball in his hand, there was desperation for the losing team but absolute mad scenes for the defenders of the Zimbabwean pride.
Not so many bright smiles in the Windies camp today!
But on the other hand, if you were a Caribbean fan, someone who sees more often than not, more lows than highs in this format, you were gutted, damaged even.
Of course, the feeling of seeing Windies lose by not such a heavy margin despite having made a real contest of this game against Zimbabwe was perhaps down to the unbridled optimism the West Indians had been contesting with and had entered today’s game with.
After all, they picked up two solid wins right before- one each against the USA and Nepal, two opponents they had absolutely no idea of having played in any format, let alone having met them at any stage before in any World Cup qualifier.
Not that the West Indies’ own hopes of progressing through to the final super six stage, which will seal the fate of the last of the two (who’ll qualify) are over.
However, it is also necessary to visit, if not elaborate in great detail the reasons for this loss incurred just a while ago.
Which possibly leads to three main questions:
Is the WI team overly reliant on Shai Hope
In the two games before, Hope, the enforcer at number 4, scored a fighting 54 and then, a brilliant 132 against USA and Nepal, respectively.
He’s emerged as the clear fulcrum, the irreplaceable pivot around which the rest of the team scores.
But then, barring Pooran, who scored a magnificent century in the last game on his own, who else in the team is scoring?
That Hope departed for 30 today, thereby further increasing the pressure on the side, eventually led to a state of spiral decline from which recovery was perhaps difficult- if not entirely out of question.
But then, Hope, we must understand, is a human. For all his glorious consistency- how else can one put it even- he can err at some stage and he did today. But does that mean the rest shouldn’t take up the responsibility?
Are the West Indies all rounders doing their bit?
Holder and Chase both scored vital fifties in the first game the Windies played that was versus the Americans. Since then, Holder made an unbeaten sixteen and as seen today, 19. His staying at the wicket was very crucial. At the bowling department, Holder has been at the top of his game.
But as the most experienced campaigner in the set up, he ought to realise that at times you’re required to finish off games. You can’t perish expecting the rest of the slack to be taken up by a Hosein and Alzarri, regardless of them both possessing the talent to put together a whack on the ball.
Much was expected out of Holder today, for he had been in such situations before and that too, against more attacking and daunting opponents.
What is Rovman Powell doing?
As the vice captain of the team that’s trying quite ardently to rise back to some sort of contention for the much awaited ODI World Cup, Powell’s job is to shoulder responsibility; not act in a rather cavalier manner as he’s been guilty of particularly in the last two games.
How on earth can side that’s already too reliant on Hope, the Barbadian jewel, excel when the vice captain contributes a solitary run and that too, in a crunch game?
For someone who already lacks the much needed aptitude against spin, given he danced down the track in the first one dayer to score a golden duck, West Indies’s vice captain had also dropped catches.
At some stage, some of those costly drops had to impact the team and remember it’s a team that is still to correct the woeful habit of conceding one extra too many.
So it happened today and what can be done about it now?
Powell, importantly needs to understand that this isn’t the wham bam brand of IPL style cricket where bludgeoning hits out of the park can necessarily win you games. This level of the game requires game awareness and for someone who’s been found too guilty of throwing away his wicket, Powell needs to hold himself accountable for, at least, some of the woes
All said and done…
Tomorrow will be another day and soon, the Windies will find themselves confronting tue Dutch challenge but here again, they must take confidence from the fact that they had beaten this side by a margin of 3-nil and that too, in the Netherlands.
However, this is a new day and anything could happen. Which is why it makes some sense to suggest that no one should leave anything to chance.
That told, many congratulations to Zimbabwe.
 "Dev Tyagi")
