West Indies set to take on T20 World Cup ‘out of this world’

West Indies © Getty Images

A lot rests on the shoulders of a player who has played just three T20 internationals, but West Indies’ hopes of triumphing in their home World Cup could rest with young fast bowler Shamar Joseph.

The 24-year-old from Guyana may be inexperienced in this form of the game with just six matches to his name, including one cleansing performance for Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, but he has pace.

Just as England desperately wanted Jofra Archer back in their ranks, the West Indies want Joseph.

They know that in any form of the game, pace is a match winner and that’s why he got the nod ahead of another young, fast Matthew Forde.

“Shamar Joseph has the pace, he has skills with the new ball,” coach Daren Sammy said when naming the squad.

“I’m not saying Matthew Forde won’t do that, but when you look at the role it makes it easier for us to now choose the personnel that fit that role.”

Joseph, who had worked as a guard a year earlier, made headlines in January when he tore through Australia’s vaunted batting line-up to win a Test in Brisbane.

Playing in only his second Test, Joseph took 7-68 as the West Indies won by just eight runs, their first win in Australia since 1997.

It was a compelling performance that showed that Joseph had the playing and the technique, not to mention a flair for the theatrical, for the big arena.

The aim for the West Indies, who are in Group C along with Afghanistan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Uganda, is apparently to become the first team to win the T20 World Cup three times – they achieved success in 2012 and 2016, when Carlos Brathwaite smashed England’s Ben Stokes for four consecutive sixes in the last over to win the final.

Johnson Charles and Andre Russell, one of the most talented all-rounders in the format, played both wins and are back for another try.

– At home ‘motivation’ –

However, the pressure of playing in one’s own backyard can be a burden.

Even with Brian Lara by their side, they flopped when they hosted the 2007 ODI World Cup.

“It won’t be easy, but we are one of only two countries to have won it twice, so we will try to make it three,” said former fast bowler Curtly Ambrose, who was bowling coach in 2016.

“And no other country has ever won it (T20 World Cup) on home soil, so that’s all the motivation for the boys to do well.”

Another pressure is recent history. Since that win in 2016, things have gone steadily downhill for a side that once ruled the cricket world.

West Indies have failed badly in the last two T20 World Cups.

Kieron Pollard’s side were eliminated in the group stage in the UAE in 2021 with just one win, while Nicholas Pooran’s side failed to qualify for the main round in Australia a year later.

Worse still, West Indies didn’t even qualify for the ODI World Cup in India last year.

However, Ambrose prefers to emphasize the positive statement that West Indies “have a very, very good team”.

“Once the boys start playing consistent and smart cricket, I believe we can lift the trophy,” he added.

There is certainly plenty of match-winning talent in the team.

Left-hander Pooran had an impressive IPL, scoring 499 runs at a strike rate of 178.21 for Lucknow Super Giants, which is the lynchpin of the middle order, although Shai Hope and skipper Rovman Powell are both proven performers.

Meanwhile, assuming he plays, Shamar Joseph and fellow fast bowler, his unrelated namesake Alzarri Joseph, will give them enviable firepower with the ball.

“What we’ve been able to do as a T20 group over the last year, the players we’ve shown, has gotten us to this moment,” Sammy said. “And I think we’re about to drive it from this world.”