[VIDEOS] Two-times T20 World Cup winners, West Indies, knocked out of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022

[MenInG]

Cricket West Indies’ (CWI) Selection Panel today announced the West Indies squad for the upcoming International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup. The panel confirmed the fifteen (15) players who represent the West Indies for the eighth ICC T20 World Cup, which will be played in Australia from October 16 to November 13.

The West Indies are the only team to have won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup twice, in Sri Lanka in 2012 and in India in 2016. The West Indies campaign to win an unprecedented third ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title starts on October 17, when they take on Scotland in first of three Group B fixtures played at the Bellerive Oval, in Hobart, Tasmania to qualify for the Super 12 phase of the tournament. Nicholas Pooran leads the West Indies in his first World Cup as captain, with Rovman Powell as vice-captain.

Left-hand opening batter Evin Lewis has been recalled for the first time since the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup. Two uncapped players have been selected; right-arm leg-spinner allrounder Yannic Cariah and left-arm batting allrounder Raymon Reifer.

The Most Honourable Dr. Desmond Haynes, CWI’s Lead Selector said: “We have selected a mixture of youth and experience to represent the West Indies. In the selection process, we have been cognizant of the ongoing CPL and we have been looking at the players who have been playing very well. I said at the beginning of my tenure that I would be interested in giving players the opportunity and I think I have been consistent in doing that. I believe it is a very good team we have selected, and it is a team that will compete, given that we have to qualify from Round 1 into the Super12s.”

Dr. Haynes added: “ There are players who did not make the team and I hope they will continue to work hard and perform to their best in the CPL and the upcoming CG United Super50 Cup; because you never know what can happen in case of injuries or any other unforeseen situations where we might need to call up players as replacements.”

West Indies will face Zimbabwe on October 19 and then Ireland on October 21 with the top two teams from Group B joining the Super 12s, along with the top two teams from Group A which features Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands and Namibia. ​ The top two teams from each Super12 group will advance to the semi-finals on November 9 and 10.

Before the start of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the West Indies will meet home team Australia in a two-match bilateral T20 International (T20I) series on October 5 at the Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast and on October 7 at the historical Gabba, in Brisbane.



WEST INDIES ICC T20 WORLD CUP 2022 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

FULL SQUAD

NICHOLAS POORAN - Captain
ROVMAN POWELL – Vice captain
YANNIC CARIAH
JOHNSON CHARLES
SHELDON COTTRELL
SHIMRON HETMYER
JASON HOLDER
AKEAL HOSEIN
ALZARRI JOSEPH
BRANDON KING
EVIN LEWIS
KYLE MAYERS
OBED McCOY
RAYMON REIFER
ODEAN SMITH


MATCH SCHEDULE

T20 International Series, Australia vs West Indies
October 5: 1st T20I, Australia vs West Indies, Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast

October 7: 2nd T20I, Australia vs West Indies, The Gabba, Brisbane



ICC MEN’s T20 WORLD CUP 2022, Australia

Round 1 - Groups

Group A: Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, and Namibia
​Group B: Scotland, West Indies, Zimbabwe, and Ireland

(Top two teams from each group advance to Super 12s)



Round 1 - Match Schedule (all played at Bellerive Oval, Hobart).

October 17: West Indies v Scotland, 15h00 Australia time, 00h00 Eastern Caribbean time, 23h00 Jamaica time (16 October)

October 19: West Indies v Zimbabwe, 19h00 Australia time, 04h00 Eastern Caribbean time, 03h00 Jamaica time

October 21: West Indies v Ireland, 15h00 Australia time, 00h00 Eastern Caribbean time, 23h00 Jamaica time (20 October)



Super 12s

Group 1: England, Australia, New Zealand, Afghanistan, A1 and B2.

Group 2: India, Pakistan, Pakistan, South Africa, A2 and B1.

(Top two teams from each group advance to the semi-finals)

​

SEMI-FINALS

November 9: ​ SCG, Sydney

November 10: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

FINAL

November 13: MCG, Melbourne

 

[Rana]

No Shai Hope? They were planning to use him as an anchor T20 opener and build around him

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

Good squad, has the ability to beat top teams.

 

[Ab Fan]

No Shai Hope? They were planning to use him as an anchor T20 opener and build around him

He isn't good enough for an anchor. 120+ strike rate is a minimum criteria for that role for a mediocre batting lineup too.

 

[shamaan]

Charles
King
Lewis
POORAN
HETMYER
Holder
Hosein
Smith
COTTRELL
JOSEPH
McCOY

 

[Rana]

He isn't good enough for an anchor. 120+ strike rate is a minimum criteria for that role for a mediocre batting lineup too.

West Indies was the first side to be inspired by Pakistan’s current approach and having a guy try bat through the overs but they discarded that strategy it seems

 

[Saj]

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has today informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that Shamarh Brooks has replaced Shimron Hetmyer in the West Indies Squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in Australia.

The decision by the CWI Selection Panel was made as Shimron Hetmyer missed his re-scheduled flight to Australia, which had been changed from Saturday 1 October at his request, due to family reasons. With flight availability a real challenge, a seat was found for him to leave Guyana today, Monday 3 October, meaning he would unfortunately miss the 1st T20.

 

[SM1989]

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has today informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that Shamarh Brooks has replaced Shimron Hetmyer in the West Indies Squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in Australia.

The decision by the CWI Selection Panel was made as Shimron Hetmyer missed his re-scheduled flight to Australia, which had been changed from Saturday 1 October at his request, due to family reasons. With flight availability a real challenge, a seat was found for him to leave Guyana today, Monday 3 October, meaning he would unfortunately miss the 1st T20.

This is very harsh!

 

[Markhor]

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has today informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that Shamarh Brooks has replaced Shimron Hetmyer in the West Indies Squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in Australia.

The decision by the CWI Selection Panel was made as Shimron Hetmyer missed his re-scheduled flight to Australia, which had been changed from Saturday 1 October at his request, due to family reasons. With flight availability a real challenge, a seat was found for him to leave Guyana today, Monday 3 October, meaning he would unfortunately miss the 1st T20.

Wait what ?!

Clearly something hasn't been right with Shimron Hetmyer behind the scenes for a while.

 

[MenInG]

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has today informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that Shamarh Brooks has replaced Shimron Hetmyer in the West Indies Squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in Australia.

The decision by the CWI Selection Panel was made as Shimron Hetmyer missed his re-scheduled flight to Australia, which had been changed from Saturday 1 October at his request, due to family reasons. With flight availability a real challenge, a seat was found for him to leave Guyana today, Monday 3 October, meaning he would unfortunately miss the 1st T20.

People would be out on the streets if this had happened.

 

[MenInG]

With their squad bereft of some of the stalwarts of the game, the West Indies have given some new blood a chance to make a name for themselves and usher in a new era of Calypso dominance.

Squad
Nicholas Pooran (c), Rovman Powell, Yannic Cariah, Johnson Charles, Sheldon Cottrell, Sharmarh Brooks, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Kyle Mayers, Obed McCoy, Raymon Reifer, Odean Smith.

Best finish at tournament

Champions (2012 and 2016)

The most successful side in the history of the competition, West Indies are the only team who can claim to be two-time winners of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

In 2012, they managed to make it out of the Group stage by the skin of their teeth. After losing their first game to Australia, West Indies and Ireland met in a must-win clash. The game was called off due to rain and they qualified on net run rate with just one point to their name.

In the Super 8 stage, the Windies kicked off with a win over England but lost their next game to Sri Lanka. They emerged victorious over New Zealand in a Super Over to keep their tournament hopes alive. As a result of Sri Lanka beating England, the Daren Sammy-led side made it to the knockout stage by finishing second in Group 1.

They blew Australia away with the bat in the semi-final, posting a mammoth total of 205/6. In response, Australia were bowled out for just 131.

The final was a low-scoring affair where West Indies had to defend 137 to win. An inspired bowling effort led by Sunil Narine’s 3/9 skittled Sri Lanka out for 101 as West Indies got their hands the T20 World Cup for the first time.

In 2016, West Indies had a near-perfect start in the Super 10 stage with wins over England, South Africa and Sri Lanka; the only blemish being Afghanistan upsetting them in their final game.

Playing India at their home, West Indies held their nerve to clinch a fiercely-contested clash by seven wickets and punched their ticket to the final to meet England.

In the final at Eden Gardens, chasing 156 for the win, West Indies needed 19 off the final over. Carlos Brathwaite produced one of the greatest moments in T20I history by smashing four consecutive sixes off Ben Stokes and etched his name in history as West Indies were crowned champions for the second time.

In 2016, Carlos Brathwaite hit England's Ben Stokes for four consecutive sixes to help the West Indies lift the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

Results in the last 10 T20I games

(most recent first) L L W L L L L L W L

Fixtures

17 October: v Scotland
19 October: v Zimbabwe
21 October: v Ireland

Key match

v Zimbabwe (October 19) - West Indies are one of the favourites to make it out of the group and Zimbabwe have emerged as one of the most improved teams in T20I cricket in recent times.

When the two teams clash in their second game of the tournament, not only is it going to be an exciting contest but also one that could decide their fate in the tournament.

The two teams have only faced off thrice against each other, the last time being in March 2013. West Indies hold the edge with two wins against Zimbabwe, though a lot has changed in the last nine years between the two teams.

Key player

Nicholas Pooran - Captain. Wicketkeeper. Middle-order lynchpin. In the absence of several key players who have bid farewell to the game, Pooran will undoubtedly be West Indies’ most important player at the T20 World Cup.

Having made his debut in 2016, it wasn’t until late 2018 that Pooran became a regular in the West Indies side. In 67 matches, he has scored 1398 runs at an average of 27.41 and a strike rate of 130.77. Being the most experienced member of the squad, there will be added responsibility on him, especially as a batter.

Following Kieron Pollard’s retirement earlier this year, Pooran was named the white-ball captain but the start to his stint as permanent skipper has been far from ideal with only three wins in 10 games.

The upcoming World Cup thus gives Pooran a chance to shine both as captain and batter. Though West Indies will want to make it deep into the tournament, Pooran’s first task will be to ensure that he can take his side into the Super 12 stage.

Summary

West Indies will enter the T20 World Cup, perhaps for the first time with an air of unfamiliarity. The two-time champions, once an unstoppable force in the shortest format, will have to go through the First Round before they can make it to the Super 12.

The dressing room too bears a new look, bereft with some of the stalwarts of the game who have now bid adieu. However, it gives the new blood a chance to make a name for themselves and usher in a new era of Calypso dominance.

At the forefront of it will be Pooran, who wears several caps - that of a captain, a middle-order enforcer with the bat and the man with the gloves behind the stumps. He is also their most in-form batter with the most runs this calendar year.

The recent emergence of Rovman Powell, Kyle Mayers and Brandon King and the return of Evin Lewis are certainly going to be a huge boost for West Indies heading into the marquee event.

Jason Holder will provide much-needed balance to the team, but his role as the leader of the bowling attack is likely to take over his ability with the bat. Holder has been the Windies’ most prolific bowler this year with 23 wickets and will be supported by Akeal Hossein and Obed McCoy.

Romario Shepherd and Odean Smith provide the team with much-needed firepower both with the bat and ball.

On paper, West Indies are favourites to make it to the Super 12 stage but how deep they go in the tournament will much depend on how their bowling attack comes together.

The lack of quality spin-bowling options might hurt the side in the latter stages of the tournament, especially on the bigger Australian grounds.

The absence of Shimron Hetmyer, who was dropped from the squad after missing his flight to Australia, leaves a gaping hole in the middle order.

ICC

 

[MenInG]

After the opening game of the inaugural ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2007, we thought ‘wow, this game is tailor-made for us West Indians.’

Dwayne Bravo and I would talk about creating a legacy. We had the opportunity to do that in the T20 format and we grabbed that with both hands.

Clive Lloyd, Sir Viv and the greats started it by winning two World Cups in the 70s, and the teams of the 80s and 90s set the standard in the Test arena.

We made T20 our own for a decade and our players went on to become some of the greatest and most sought-after in the world.

In 2007, Chris Gayle scored that amazing hundred in the first game against South Africa in Johannesburg and we went on to scale great heights from there.

Captaining that team was easy because I had very experienced guys who knew T20 cricket inside out.

Having the number one and two bowlers in the world didn’t hurt. Sunil Narine and Samuel Badree brought us stability - I’m a big believer that batters win you games, but bowlers win you tournaments

When I took over the captaincy in 2010, there was a lot of pressure on me as a player and it took me two years to earn the respect of my men.

The way we played in the final in 2012 and my own personal performance, that really changed the way the guys looked at me as a leader. My name went from Daren to captain, to skipper.

One of my favourite moments was early in the 2012 final, when Ravi Rampaul started off with an outswinger to hit the off stump of Tillakaratne Dilshan.

That’s my favourite because it solidified my position as leader in the team, my performances were starting to click, my men were starting to respect me.

What Ottis Gibson and I went through to win a title. My shoulders, after feeling so heavy with criticism from all over, relaxed after all that had been said about me as captain of the team.

I had the privilege of taking the trophy home with me to Saint Lucia. All of Saint Lucia had come out to see me and Johnson Charles, it was special.

We had a motorcade from the south of the island all the way to the north. That was something, that was truly something.

That was 2012, and 2016 was even better.

This week, I was talking to a group of youngsters that I mentor in Pakistan and I was telling them about that last over in 2016. We always challenge them to hit 19 off the last over.

We all wanted Marlon Samuels on strike because until then Carlos Brathwaite had not really fired, and Marlon was flying on 70-odd.

I remember Chris saying ‘wow, 19 is a lot’ but I knew if the first ball went for six, the pressure goes back on the bowler.

Man oh man, I never thought we would see four sixes! That was divine intervention and we needed that after all we had been through.

It's the last memory I have in a West Indies shirt, that was my last game, and it’s a good one to remember. We created history that day, it was amazing.

The sad thing is that after 2016 that team was dismantled. They brought the guys back in 2021 but they were way past their best.

We had a chance to mix the young players in with the experienced guys and we lost a massive opportunity to become stronger.

But I just spoke to Nicholas Pooran and he reckons the guys are shaping up well. I have a really good feeling about this squad because we have so much talent.

The batters are there as always. Kyle Mayers is such a talent and times the ball brilliantly and we know Nicholas is a match-winner.

The good thing this time round is we have bowlers who can take wickets. We didn’t know where our wickets would come from last time but this time we do.

You can rely on Akeal Hosein, he’s in the top 10 in the world and Odean Smith keeps improving, so it’s about fine-tuning and getting the right combinations.

I would never write off the West Indies and I have a funny feeling that something special is going to happen in Australia.

 

[MenInG]

West Indies coach Phil Simmons said that the batters should step up after West Indies succumbed to a 42-run loss to Scotland in their opening match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup on Monday.

The West Indies bowlers did a good job to restrict Scotland to 160/5 on a track that looked pretty good for batting. Pacers Alzarri Joseph and Jason Holder shone with the ball as they picked up a couple of wickets each and also proved to be economical.

However, the batters weren't up to the task as they lost half of their side for just 69 runs. Holder tried his best to resurrect their innings with his 33-ball knock of 38 but the Caribbean side was ultimately bowled out for 118 with nine balls to spare.

West Indies' coach Simmons opined that their bowlers worked hard but the batters let the team down in the post-match press conference.

"I think the only way you can look at it is - disappointed. I think our batting, at least today, definitely was a bit unprofessional," Simmons said.

"And we need to wake up and start being as professional as we can be when we are batting. The bowlers seem to be working hard and putting us in good positions, but the batters continue to falter.

"I think it's just too many soft dismissals. I think as batsmen you have to pay a lot more attention to your wicket. And I think every time, we play we are up there with the run rate.

"It doesn't matter who we are playing against, but we keep losing wickets and soft wickets. So I think that I've been trying to remedy it for the last couple of months. Doesn't seem like it's there yet."

The 59-year-old further went on to say that the West Indies batters were poor with their shot selection in the match and they didn't play according to the situation at all.

"You summed it up there [when asked if shot selection was poor]. You don't need me to answer it. And that's exactly it. You've got to sum up the situation and play to the situation of the game. I don't think we did that at all times today.

"As I said before, the bowlers have been doing an excellent job. We've been doing very well for the last year. So for them to pull it back after that was expected from us. So I think they did a great job.

"We need to beat Zimbabwe. I think that's the first step as we go along. When we get back here at this time on Wednesday, then we may be thinking a lot different on all those things you spoke about."

ICC

 

[MenInG]

West Indies will look to get ICC World T20 campaign up and running after being humbled by Scotland in their Group B opener, but openers Zimbabwe, and in particular all-rounder Sikandar Raza, will be no pushovers.

Nicholas Pooran’s side hit a huge roadblock when they succumbed to a shock defeat against Scotland in their opening group stage game. And while it would be foolish to write off the two-time Men’s T20 World Cup Champions at this stage, there were alarming signs ahead of crunch games to come.

Coach Phil Simmons, peeved by the team’s display, termed West Indies’ approach as ‘unprofessional’, but will that provide the motivation for a turnaround in fortunes for Pooran and his side?

They face another potential banana skin fixture against Zimbabwe, with the Africans fresh from their win over Ireland on Monday and eyeing the opportunity to potentially knock West Indies out of the tournament.

The Zimbabweans rallied around Sikandar Raza’s magnificent innings against the Irish, which propelled them to a formidable score. Skipper Craig Ervine and coach David Houghton will be looking for a little more bite from their top order, though, to avoid leaving it all down to talisman Raza.

However, it is the bowling where Zimbabwe’s strength truly lies, and all the bowlers come into this contest on the back of a good outing and will fancy their chances against the West Indies. Even Luke Jongwe, who bowled two expensive overs against the Irish, will take confidence from an important contribution with the bat at the back end of the innings.

There is a new-found belief in the Zimbabwean ranks since Houghton’s arrival as a coach and one expects the Africans to play fearless cricket yet again. Raza is, deservedly, the man of the moment so far and Windies cannot let the all-rounder settle at the crease.

Windies are also expected to shore up their batting order and could ring in a couple of changes in their bowling department too.

Key Players

Nicholas Pooran

On his day, the southpaw can singlehandedly change the fate of a contest with his stroke play. He can also go through lean patches and occasionally struggles to get out of a rut.

It will be interesting to see how he will go about juggling captaincy duties with his batting if West Indies progress further in the tournament.

For now, though, West Indies desperately need Pooran being at his fluent best at the crease.

Tendai Chatara

It was senior pro Tendai Chatara’s first spell that put the Irish on the backfoot in the last game and Ervine is expected to turn to the pacer once again during the powerplay.

Chatara’s intelligent bowling set the platform on which Blessing Muzarabani to bag three wickets. The 31-year-old’s experience will be crucial for Zimbabwe to ensure that Mayers and Lewis don’t pick up early boundaries in their innings.

ICC

 

[MenInG]

West Indies and Ireland look to seal a place in the Super 12s as they take take on each other in their last group stage encounter of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Friday.

West Indies tasted defeat in their opening match of the tournament as Scotland pulled off an upset to beat them by 42 runs. Although the bowlers did a good job, the batting failed to impress. West Indies' coach Phil Simmons even expressed his disappointment at the performance of their batters in the match.

But the Caribbean team made amends swiftly as they delivered a thoroughly professional performance in the very next match up against Zimbabwe, winning by 31 runs. Johnson Charles, Rovman Powell and Akeal Hossein played good hands with the bat while Alzarri Joseph breathed fire with the ball, registering superb figures of 4/16. They will now be looking to carry the momentum and confidence forward into this match. Following a disappointing outing a last years T20 World Cup and the West Indies surely can't afford an exit at least before qualifying for the Super 12s this time out.

Ireland, on the other hand, are also coming into this match on the back of a morale-boosting win against Scotland. Curtis Campher's superb knock of 72 from 32 deliveries helping Ireland chase down a challenging total of 177. Not only that, Campher had also registered figures of 2/9 with the ball earlier in the match, which sums up how big an impact he made on Ireland's fortunes in the game.

It was important for Andrew Balbirnie's men to win that match and keep their chances of progression to the Super 12 stage still intact. Especially after they had started their campaign with a disappointing 31-run loss to Zimbabwe.

Predicted Playing XIs

West Indies: Kyle Mayers, Johnson Charles, Evin Lewis, Nicholas Pooran (c & wk), Shamarh Brooks, Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Odean Smith, Obed McCoy

Ireland: Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Simi Singh, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little

Key Players

Alzarri Joseph: The young pacer has proven himself as West Indies' most important player in this tournament already. Joseph has been economical in both matches so far, going at just 5.50 runs per over, and has picked up six wickets as well, which includes a match-winning spell of 4/16 against Zimbabwe. West Indies will bank on him once again to deliver with breakthroughs in important situations.

Paul Stirling: Ireland should consider themselves lucky that they have a win to their name in two matches, even though a player of Paul Stirling's stature has failed to score big in both matches. Stirling knocks the opposition completely out of the game when he goes big and Ireland will be hoping to see him at his best in this must-win clash. Over 3000 runs in 116 T20 internationals, at an average of 27.95 and strike-rate of 134.48 sum up Stirling's quality as a batter.

ICC

 

[MenInG]

West Indies and Ireland look to seal a place in the Super 12s as they take take on each other in their last group stage encounter of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Friday.

West Indies tasted defeat in their opening match of the tournament as Scotland pulled off an upset to beat them by 42 runs. Although the bowlers did a good job, the batting failed to impress. West Indies' coach Phil Simmons even expressed his disappointment at the performance of their batters in the match.

But the Caribbean team made amends swiftly as they delivered a thoroughly professional performance in the very next match up against Zimbabwe, winning by 31 runs. Johnson Charles, Rovman Powell and Akeal Hossein played good hands with the bat while Alzarri Joseph breathed fire with the ball, registering superb figures of 4/16. They will now be looking to carry the momentum and confidence forward into this match. Following a disappointing outing a last years T20 World Cup and the West Indies surely can't afford an exit at least before qualifying for the Super 12s this time out.

Ireland, on the other hand, are also coming into this match on the back of a morale-boosting win against Scotland. Curtis Campher's superb knock of 72 from 32 deliveries helping Ireland chase down a challenging total of 177. Not only that, Campher had also registered figures of 2/9 with the ball earlier in the match, which sums up how big an impact he made on Ireland's fortunes in the game.

It was important for Andrew Balbirnie's men to win that match and keep their chances of progression to the Super 12 stage still intact. Especially after they had started their campaign with a disappointing 31-run loss to Zimbabwe.

Predicted Playing XIs

West Indies: Kyle Mayers, Johnson Charles, Evin Lewis, Nicholas Pooran (c & wk), Shamarh Brooks, Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Odean Smith, Obed McCoy

Ireland: Paul Stirling, Andrew Balbirnie (c), Lorcan Tucker (wk), Harry Tector, Curtis Campher, George Dockrell, Gareth Delany, Mark Adair, Simi Singh, Barry McCarthy, Joshua Little

Key Players

Alzarri Joseph: The young pacer has proven himself as West Indies' most important player in this tournament already. Joseph has been economical in both matches so far, going at just 5.50 runs per over, and has picked up six wickets as well, which includes a match-winning spell of 4/16 against Zimbabwe. West Indies will bank on him once again to deliver with breakthroughs in important situations.

Paul Stirling: Ireland should consider themselves lucky that they have a win to their name in two matches, even though a player of Paul Stirling's stature has failed to score big in both matches. Stirling knocks the opposition completely out of the game when he goes big and Ireland will be hoping to see him at his best in this must-win clash. Over 3000 runs in 116 T20 internationals, at an average of 27.95 and strike-rate of 134.48 sum up Stirling's quality as a batter.

ICC

Not looking good for the West Indies so far in the game vs Ireland!

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Aur khelo IPL

 

[MenInG]

A very sad looking Phil Simmons in the post-game presser

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[MenInG]

Ireland have moved through to the Super 12 stage of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup and sent two-time champions West Indies crashing out with a dominant nine-wicket triumph over the Caribbean side in Hobart on Friday.

It was an impressive team performance from the European side, with veteran opener Paul Stirling (66* off 48 balls) guiding Ireland past the West Indies score of 146/5 with more than two overs remaining.

Stirling the hero with powerful knock

While the West Indies' total may have been slightly under par on a good batting pitch at Bellerive Oval, Stirling took the game away from the Caribbean side with a brilliant piece of batting.

The experienced right-hander may have had just eight runs heading into Friday's cut-throat encounter, but that mattered little as he smashed the West Indies' attack to all parts of the picturesque Hobart ground.

Stirling set the scene with a massive six off Alzarri Joseph (0/39) in the third over and skipper Andrew Balbirnie (37 off 23) got in on the act as Ireland raced to 64/0 within the Powerplay.

The loss of Balbirnie did little to dampen the mood, as Lorcan Tucker (45*) came to the crease and a more composed Stirling changed his approach to expertly guide Ireland home.

Thirteen-year wait over for Ireland

The victory sees Ireland make it past the First Round of a T20 World Cup for the first time since 2009 and their healthy group of supporters in Hobart started celebrating well before the final ball.

It was fitting that Stirling was at the crease at the end to ensure the 13-year wait was over for the Irish, given the 32-year-old was also in their squad in 2009 at the second T20 World Cup in England.

Much has changed over the years for Ireland, but Stirling's contribution at the top has been one constant that has remained and will continue over the coming weeks Down Under.

Where to now for the West Indies?

While the expectations for the West Indies in Australia were somewhat lower than normal given the absence of a host of former stars, the Caribbean side will still be bitterly disappointed they couldn't qualify for the Super 12 stage.

There were some positives for Nicholas Pooran's men, but the captain himself struggled for runs throughout the tournament and more consistency is needed if they are to once again reach the lofty heights they are capable of.

Veteran all-rounder Jason Holder (0/23) bowled well against Ireland and battled away powerfully all tournament, whole fellow pacer Alzarri Joseph also showed some good signs.

But it was left to too few, with the only two-time champions at this year's edition of the tournament bowing out at the first stage for the first time since the inaugural tournament in 2007.

ICC

Highlights

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[Front Foot Pull]

Aur khelo IPL

ENG and most others play too.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Aur khelo IPL

Every other team plays IPL. Has no bearing on their fortunes. They don't have any real quality and it is made worse by stubborn selections.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

As long as they're playing IPL, that is all that matters.

 

[reversehook]

they needed this badly for their own good...

 

[Rana]

It is fair to say the stronger and more deserving teams went through in this group

Sikander Raza alone is more clutch than the entire Pakistan batting unit

 

[shaz619]

So sad and humiliating

 

[DeadlyVenom]

ENG and most others play too.

Windies players sold their soul to the IPL.

No doubt about it.

Not a fault of the IPL btw - more so a criticism of windies attitudes.

This result is just chickens coming home to roost.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Every other team plays IPL. Has no bearing on their fortunes. They don't have any real quality and it is made worse by stubborn selections.

They have quality enough to be in demand for by the IPL.

But time after time when the Windies need them they come up short.

 

[Mamoon]

.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Deservedly so. It was like watching top-ranked side with an associate side.

 

[WengerOut]

I am confused. WI crashed out coz of IPL?? WI stars are called mercenaries coz they play every league and misses out on national duties. And the guys who played WC should be appreciated, right?

 

[Nikhil_cric]

They have quality enough to be in demand for by the IPL.

But time after time when the Windies need them they come up short.

Who, in your opinion, would have made this team better? Hetmyer - who averages 20 and strikes at 118?

They don't have the players to compete anymore. Anyway , even if someone wants to blame leagues, it's not just the IPL. They play many T20 leagues around the world.

 

[bujhee kom]

My generation saw the ATG West Indies play and this fiasco upsets me. WI are a joke team now.

 

[Kianig89]

Sorry day for WI in fact their international future is hanging by a balance massive reforms needed

 

[jnaveen1980]

They may not qualify for ODI world cup either if things don't improve which will be a huge setback for them.

 

[hafizexpress]

Mark my words, in 10 years time, the West Indies will be a team that scrambles to get into the top 12. I would hate for it to happen and want to be proven wrong. But their trajectory indicates it.

 

[hafizexpress]

They've become trash at the only format they were decent at.

 

[msb314]

Well deserved humiliation

 

[Rana]

Well deserved humiliation

This is harsh

They picked the best XI they could have after not bowing down to their mercenaries who were forever holding them at ransom. These players who played are those who toured with them throughout the world

 

[JibranAnsari]

Doesnt matter ,its only t20.

 

[sam_ahm]

There should be credit given to the way associates + Ireland and Zimbabwe have performed, all these teams have worked very very hard and they've toughened up. They are good aides and the intensity shown by them. In this WC has been incredible. They have come here with a point to prove.

WI, I thought had a fairly good team. Anyone who follows them would know this is probably the best squad they could have selected from the available players. Alzari Joseph, I think is the next big thing for West Indies. He is damn good. I can't even say they underestimated their opponents because they've lost an ODI series to Ireland this year, and Scotland nearly eliminated them in 2018 WCQ, so I'm sure they must have been aware of how good these teams are.

It's not the end of the world though, this can trigger some change and they might come back stronger.

 

[Fenrir]

WI players will be happy as long as they get IPL contracts.

 

[MenInG]

A very sad looking Phil Simmons in the post-game presser

<div style="width: 100%; height: 0px; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.250%;"><iframe src="https://streamable.com/e/wlb36c" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="100%" allowfullscreen style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;"></iframe></div>

You have to feel for Simmons - this must be so painful.

 

[MenInG]

West Indies skipper Nicholas Pooran expressed his disappointment and mentioned that the team has let down its fans after his team's exit at the T20 World Cup on Friday following a crushing defeat to Ireland. The captain also cited his batting failure at the World Cup and was absolutely disappointed about the West Indies exit. "We have disappointed our fans and ourselves. It's definitely hurting. I have disappointed my guys with the way I performed," said Pooran after the match.

He also commented on the team's disappointing batting performance at the World Cup. Pooran mentioned that the pitch was batting-friendly and the total was never enough for the bowlers to defend.

"It's tough, we haven't batted well in this tournament at all. On a really good batting surface, making 145, it's a really difficult task for the bowlers. It was going to be a challenge," mentioned the left-hander.

The captain congratulated the Irish team on their qualification for the Super 12 and said: "Congratulations to Ireland, they batted fantastically and bowled well today. There are a lot of positives, Jason is back to bowling well, King is batting wonderfully, and Joseph is stepping up with the ball for us. This is a learning experience for us."

NDTV

 

[WengerOut]

WI team members are paid peanuts by their board and they are not exactly a "nation" to have that sense of pride in playing for your nation. So why should they not make money by playing in different leagues !!! As if people in this forum do not run after money.

 

[Saj]

WI team members are paid peanuts by their board and they are not exactly a "nation" to have that sense of pride in playing for your nation. So why should they not make money by playing in different leagues !!! As if people in this forum do not run after money.

They mainly only play in those leagues after getting recognition for playing for West Indies.

It seems that for too many of these guys, playing for West Indies is an afterthought.

 

[WengerOut]

They mainly only play in those leagues after getting recognition for playing for West Indies.

It seems that for too many of these guys, playing for West Indies is an afterthought.

For them WI is just another team and not the team to represent their country. So naturally they would lean more towards teams paying more. It was happening earlier also where the island cricketers would migrate to UK for playing county cricket.

 

[MenInG]

CWI chief seething....

 

[Zaz]

Weve seen it for a long time Their players just dont play with the professionalism, pride and intensity of the other teams

They play lazy cricket which affects all facets of their game Most of their players are unfit, they dont know how to rotate the strike, they are undisciplined, field poory and struggle to run between the wickets

WI cricket needs a culture change They are producing cricketers of poor work ethic and mentality

 

[Markhor]

What's left to say ? Just sad to see. The demise continues.