CWC 2019, SWOT Analysis – West Indies
West Indies announced a 15-man squad full of power-hitters and match-winners for the upcoming 2019 World Cup in England. The Windies also have a world-class group of all-rounders in their squad, who can win a match single-handedly with both the bat and the ball. The bowling attack also has some zip and pace in their armour and can be lethal if the conditions are in their favour. With such quality in their ranks, many people have instilled the Windies as the dark horses heading into the tournament.
Despite the obvious quality, questions still remain over the temperament of the players in the squad. Brilliant on their day, the West Indies have a capacity to self-destruct. The inexperience in some areas of the squad is also a concern. Many personnel named in the squad are brilliant T20 players, but will it translate into the longer format of the game?
Considering all the factors, we analyse the strengths and weaknesses of the West Indian squad:
Squad: Jason Holder (c), Andre Russell, Ashley Nurse, Carlos Brathwaite, Chris Gayle, Darren Bravo, Evin Lewis, Fabian Allen, Kemar Roach, Nicholas Pooran, Oshane Thomas, Shai Hope, Shannon Gabriel, Sheldon Cottrell, Shimron Hetmyer.
Strengths –
With the all-rounders which West Indies have at their disposal, there will be great depth both in their bowling and batting department. The Windies have opted to fly to England with four out and out all-rounders in the form of Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Carlos Brathwaite and Fabian Allen. All are contributors with both the bat and the ball. Russell and Holder, in particular, have emerged as two of the finest all-rounders in world cricket over the past year. While Russell was in devastating form during the IPL, Holder has grown into his role as the leader as well as a player. Their batting order altogether has some sensational strikers of the cricket ball – Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Shimron Hetmyer and the two above mentioned all-rounders.
Weaknesses –
The bowling attack is largely inexperienced and can go for runs when put under pressure. While Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel are seasoned campaigners, question marks remain on whether they could sustain their fitness during the whole duration of the tournament. The remaining two pacers are Sheldon Cottrell, who will provide a left-arm option in their attack and Oshane Thomas, who has excited many cricket lovers. Oshane Thomas has searing pace, but is still too raw and could be exposed in the batting-friendly pitches in England. West Indies also don’t have brilliant spinners in their ranks, with both Sunil Narine and Devendra Bishoo being left out. Ashley Nurse and Fabian Allen as the tweakers do not inspire much confidence.
It also remains to be seen whether the string of hitters which West Indies have in their line-up can fight it out and show some grit when the going gets tough. They can’t always hit their way out of tight phases in the game and will have to somewhat curtail their natural instincts. The likes of Shai Hope and Darren Bravo will be crucial in such phases of the game.
Opportunities –
West Indies certainly have a dangerous squad which can inflict some serious damage on the opposition on their day. It has been a long wait for the Caribbean outfit to taste glory in the ODI format again, having been so dominant in the 70s’ and 80s’. With the number of game-changers in their squad, the current side will be quietly confident of putting up a good show in the World Cup and put West Indies cricket on the global map once again. Trust the Calypso boys to fight it out to create a good story during the tournament.
Threats –
While being a strong unit on paper, the quality in the side is still incomparable when compared to the likes of England, India and Australia. Those sides have also played together for a long time and gelled together as a unit. Meanwhile, the constant political drama in West Indian cricket and with players often preferring to play T20 leagues instead of the international matches, the Caribbean outfit hasn’t had such a luxury. When combined with the question marks over their bowling attack and lack of temperament in some of their batters, winning the World Cup could prove a task too tough for this exciting West Indies unit.
