A Failed Institution?: Why The Caribbean Should Support West Indies Cricket

Cricket has, for nearly a century, been a uniting force in the Caribbean. Since its introduction into the region by the British colonial rulers, it has become a cultural element shared by countries throughout the region.

With the formal formation of the West Indies cricket team in 1928, English-speaking Caribbean people were given a unified national identity to represent their interests on the international stage.

However, following dominant spells in the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s—during which the West Indies had extended stints as the best Test team in the world and claimed two One Day International World Cup titles—the Men in Maroon have experienced mixed fortunes in the following decades. 

While there have been notable achievements since, such as winning the Champions Trophy in 2004 and bagging two T20 World Cups in 2012 and 2016, the team has also endured disappointing periods. The most notable of these was their failure to qualify for the 2023 ODI World Cup, marking their first absence from the marquee tournament in its history.

Additionally, on the geopolitical front, some have questioned whether a united team, financially supported by regional governments, is still valuable to the region. Some commentators see the Windies as the remnants of a failed West Indies Federation, although the team was actually organized thirty years prior to the birth of the federation.

But is there an argument for the preservation of this storied outfit? St. Lucia Times reached out to veteran cricket commentator Dr Joseph “Reds” Perreira to get his thoughts on the matter. Perreira, who has been a keen follower of the game since the 1950s, noted that over the years, the team has been one of the few avenues for regional integration.

“It’s the one institution which probably has failed us over the last decade or two, as a people, because when West Indies cricket was doing well in the days of Sir Frank Worrell, in the days of Sir Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards, West Indians were buoyant and proud,” the commentator said. “They had the best team in the world and the best players in the world who had that commitment to the West Indies people. It’s the only institution that has kept us together.”

However, Perreira believes that the future of West Indies cricket is largely dependent on the product showcased on the field. He notes that tough conversations between head coaches and players to discuss commitments will play an integral part in keeping the West Indies alive.

The limited-overs franchise tournaments have served as both blessings and curses for the Men in Maroon, with players getting much-needed experience and financial backing, but also choosing to represent franchises instead of the West Indies team.

“It’s the hope of West Indians that things will get better and we’ll get back into the top four or top five eventually,” Perreira added. “That will depend on the players themselves making themselves available, and this can only be done through dialogue with the board, dialogue with the CWI cricket director, Miles Bascombe, and coaches [Andre] Coley and [Daren] Sammy.”

“They’ve got to talk honestly and straight with the Brandon Kings, with the Shai Hopes and others who have a tendency to make themselves unavailable and go off and play with a white-ball franchise when the West Indies are playing. That doesn’t happen with a lot of other countries. They have a commitment to the national team once the national team is playing. Even if they might’ve been selected for a white-ball franchise, they would turn that white-ball franchise down.”

With cricket scheduled to be played at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, and individual countries set to qualify for the games, the next couple of years could be pivotal in Caribbean cricket’s future. As the West Indies team once again embarks on another round of rebuilding across formats, one will have to wait and see what will become of this symbol of regional unity.