Six groups, two spots, and all to play for – particularly for West Indies
After the riveting league section, the boys’s ODI World Cup qualifier has reached the Super Sixes, the place Zimbabwe, Netherlands, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Scotland and Oman will contest for 2 spots on the most important occasion in India later this yr.
The cut-throat nature of the qualifier has already left West Indies, who had been pre-tournament favourites together with Sri Lanka, getting ready to elimination. Unless the stars align of their favour in a giant means, they – champions within the first two editions in 1975 and 1979 – won’t function within the ODI World Cup for the primary time. This, after they’d did not make it to the T20 World Cup in Australia final yr.
West Indies’ head coach Daren Sammy was open about their steep fall, saying that the loss against Netherlands was a real reflection of the state of West Indies cricket. They made life troublesome for themselves by dropping not less than 13 catches throughout 4 video games on this qualifier, and Sammy admitted that West Indies are the worst fielding aspect within the competitors.
Netherlands saved pilfering singles – and doubles – from proper underneath the noses of West Indies’ fielders with the stealth of a pickpocket. And West Indies sleepwalked their means from one fumble to a different and their bowling wasn’t nice both. They repeatedly missed their lengths and allowed the Netherlands’ batters to entry the shorter boundary. Though Akeal Hosein is an efficient defensive spinner, the injury to wristspinner Yannic Cariah has stripped West Indies of an attacking spin possibility within the center overs on the placid pitches in Harare.
Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph has stepped up as West Indies’ enforcer within the center overs, however his fielders have let him down. The sickness to Shamarh Brooks and an harm to Kyle Mayers have additionally meddled with the stability of the aspect. Though Nicholas Pooran was unavailable to bat within the Super Over due to the time spent off the sector previous to it, it was notably stunning to see Shai Hope be part of Johnson Charles, forward of power-hitters like Brandon King and Romario Shepherd. All advised, West Indies have been outbowled, outbatted, outfielded and out-thought by their opponents.
West Indies captain Hope has conceded that they’re nonetheless smarting from the chastening defeats in opposition to Zimbabwe and Netherlands, however he now has the unenviable job of motivating his workforce for the Super Sixes. A loss in opposition to Scotland, who had additionally toppled them on the 2022 T20 World Cup in Hobart final yr, on Saturday will ship them crashing out.
“Certainly, there is going to be a lot of pain and hurt in the dressing room,” Hope mentioned on Tuesday. “But we know that still there’s always a chance for us to move to the next step. So, we’re always communicating amongst each other. The main thing is to get the guys as uplifted as possible to make sure we get the best result going into the next game.
“That [disappointment among fans in the Caribbean] is totally comprehensible. One factor I can assure is you guys can by no means be as deflated as us. I’m certain the ache is extra extreme right here within the dressing room. But the one factor I ask from you guys is to proceed supporting us; we’re definitely attempting to place our greatest on the market. The outcomes will not all the time go our means, however we undoubtedly want to search out methods to show it round in a short time.
“We have a huge legacy behind us, and we know that, but we have to create our own legacy and make sure that whatever we do we represent the people of the West Indies proudly.”
Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe strongly positioned to make the reduce
As for Sri Lanka they give the impression of being a lot more healthy than West Indies, with their wristspinner Wanindu Hasaranga and thriller spinner Maheesh Theekshana dominating sides with their variations. They might proceed to raze oppositions that are not used to going through such elite spin.
Dimuth Karunaratne is not any dasher, however his presence on the prime has lent stability to the workforce and set the stage for Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama. Dushmantha Chameera is working his means again from a shoulder pressure, however Kasun Rajitha’s swing and Lahiru Kumara’s hit-the-deck hustle has served the assault effectively up to now.
Along with Sri Lanka, hosts Zimbabwe are the one different workforce to hold 4 factors into the Super Sixes. The native followers have packed the stands and created such an aura that Zimbabwe head coach Dave Houghton believes that they’re the workforce’s “12th, 13th, 14th and 15th man”.
Sean Williams and Craig Ervine have led the way in which with the bat. Sikandar Raza continues to conjure magic – each with bat and ball. Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava present the assault with a potent level of distinction with their peak and talent to generate trampoline bounce even on flat decks. Tendai Chatara can be tall and might transfer the ball at considerable tempo. Even a number of the prime groups on the earth haven’t got the posh of getting two tall quicks at their disposal. After having missed the final ODI World Cup, Zimbabwe look poised to make the reduce this time, with the group jiving and grooving to their tunes in Harare and Bulawayo.
Netherlands can spring a shock or two
You cannot rely Netherlands out both, particularly after their beautiful Super Over victory in opposition to West Indies. They are missing quite a lot of first-choice gamers, who’ve prioritised county cricket over nationwide commitments, however they maintain discovering new heroes. Teja Nidamanuru, who was born in India and raised in New Zealand, has been answerable for Netherlands’ solely ODI a whole lot since 2015, with each tons coming in 2023.
After years of toiling away within the wilderness for Netherlands – and for Wellington and Canterbury in New Zealand home cricket – Logan van Beek has lastly carved his personal area of interest in worldwide cricket together with his double act in the Super Over in opposition to West Indies.
In a quirk of destiny, van Beek will come up in opposition to his former Wellington coach Glenn Pocknall, who’s now a part of Scotland’s backroom employees, within the Super Sixes. In about three months, he might effectively come up in opposition to New Zealand, for whom he hopes to play for sooner or later. Who is aware of?
For Scotland and Oman, who completed one and two in the World Cricket League 2, that is one other alternative to show that they belong to the massive stage and maintain the flag flying excessive for Associate groups.
With the stakes at their highest within the Super Sixes, will groups stick or twist?