Alarm bells ringing for Windies

The proud cricketing tradition of West Indies finds itself in the unfamiliar and humbling position of having to play the World Cup qualifiers to ensure that they are part of the 2019 50-over World Cup. If the returns to the ODI fold of 'Universe Boss' Chris Gayle and match-winner Marlon Samuels suggested that Caribbean qualification was a foregone conclusion, then West Indies received a rude shock in a warm-up defeat to rabble-rousing newcomers Afghanistan in Harare yesterday.

Afghanistan coming up trumps against West Indies is no longer a huge upset, but it was the manner in which the two-time World Cup winners lost the plot in a low-scoring match that will worry their supporters all over the world ahead of their qualifying campaign which will start with a Group A match against UAE on March 6 in Harare. 

In a game shortened to 35 overs a side because of rain, West Indies had Afghanistan on the ropes at 71 for eight, but they let the advantage slip in spectacular fashion as Gulbadin Naib and Samiullah Shenwari put on 91 runs in 11.5 overs. A revised target of 140 in 35 overs should have been a walk in the park, and even after the early departure of Gayle that seemed to be the case during a 44-run third-wicket stand between Samuels (36) and Evin Lewis (34) that carried West Indies to 80 for three.

Just 61 runs adrift of the target with 21.3 overs left, West Indies were well on track, but no one else reached double figures as Jason Holder's side lost their last eight wickets for 30 runs. Pacer Dawlat Zadran was the wrecker-in-chief with four for 26 from seven overs.

Holder had said the previous day that it was 'about time we win a World Cup', but with dangerous sides like Ireland and Netherlands in their qualifying group, it may be about time that they focus on getting to England first.