The news of the West Indies failing to qualify for the ODI World Cup for the first time in the 48-year history of the tournament is indeed sad. However, the two-time champions bowing out of the Cricket World Cup Qualifier was on the cards once they lost to hosts Zimbabwe and the Netherlands in the group stage. The seven-wicket thrashing at the hands of Scotland in their opening Super Six fixture on Saturday ensured the cricket carnival in India in October-November will not feature the entertainers from the Caribbean. It is to be noted that the Windies did not make it to the T20 World Cup held in Australia last year either.
It will be an understatement to say that West Indies cricket has been on the decline for some time. The West Indies have qualified for the semifinals of the ODI World Cup only once ever since Kapil Dev's India stunned them in the final of the 1983 edition. Shane Warne's brilliance coupled with hara-kiri from the West Indies batters saw Richie Richardson's side snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in the 1996 semifinals at Mohali. In fact West Indies' last major triumph in ODI cricket came almost two decades back - when a ninth-wicket stand between Courtney Browne and Ian Bradshaw helped them score an unlikely win over hosts England in the final of the 2004 Champions Trophy.
It has been a real struggle for the West Indies ever since the great Brian Lara and the much underrated Shivnarine Chanderpaul exited the stage in 2007 and 2015 respectively. Lara along with pace legends Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh held the team together for much of the 90s.
The advent of T20 cricket has been a double-edged sword for the sunshine boys. They won two world titles under present white-ball coach Daren Sammy in 2012 and 2016. But the lure of easy money by plying their trade for different franchises across the globe in T20 leagues means playing for the West Indies is no longer the priority for the majority of the players. Cricket was a binding factor and the great sides of the past under Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards were the pride of the Caribbean people. Though the cream of athletes have moved over to athletics and basketball, there is no dearth of natural talent in the enchanting islands.
Former opener Chris Gayle's recent suggestion that the International Cricket Council (ICC) should step in to pay handsome money for the players from smaller nations is valid. The West Indies' plight is more or less similar to the woes Indian hockey faced in 2008 when the men's team failed to qualify for the Olympics for the first time in 80 years. But effective measures by Hockey India coupled with support from the sponsors have put Indian hockey back on the world stage as their bronze-medal winning effort at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic proves.
World cricket needs a strong West Indies as much as the Caribbean players need the sport to flourish. The absence of the West Indies from the mega event is a big blow, but it could well be a blessing in disguise. The ICC and Cricket West Indies have important roles to play. But the bigger responsibility lies with the West Indian players. One hopes this fiasco will hurt them and that they will bounce back.