Everyone has got a perspective on the rise and fall of West Indies Cricket.
West Indies once being the powerhouse of a cricket game with many all-dominating teams against is now getting demolished. Let us have a look at the rise and fall of the West Indies Cricket Team.
Commercial Game
In the sports world, the games have been commercialized. Sponsorship and advertising money are mandatory to make any game visible. Making a game visible will help to survive on a larger scale attracting more youngsters.
The Rise
West Indies back in those days had a fascinating romance with cricket. There were spotlighted as a tiny troop of sovereign island nations sporting together under a single banner.
There were not too many nations to play cricket. Among those few nations, West Indies has won the 1st two editions of the World Cup in 1975 & 1979. They were powerful in both long & short formats. But they have lost their aura over the years.
The Decline
In 1995, the West Indies decline started when they were defeated by Mark Taylor’s led Australia in the finals. The brilliance of captains like Brian Lara, Courtney Walsh & Ambrose delayed the downfall of the West Indies.
From the ’90s, the one-day crickets turned more into a commercial sport. Due to an increase in commercialization, cricket started to become a professional sport. This is the slot where the WICB (West Indies Cricket Board) lost their spot.
What caused the fall of West Indies Cricket?
India astonished the world in 1983 by defeating the unbeatable West Indies two times a year. These victories remain to be the milestone for the Indian Cricket team.
The fall was caused since the WICB failed to adapt to changing times in financial considerations. This was reflected in the mid-2000s when an actual dispute between the board and players started.
It was also those T20 formats that caused the downfall of West Indies Cricket. In 2009, it all began a huge threatening pay dispute between the players of West Indies and WICB.
The monetary considerations took precedence leaving back the restoration of Caribbean pride and equality. The inefficiency & corruption in the board made the players financially struggle.
The Worst Turn
It was a very worst turn for West Indies in 2010 when Gayle’s captaincy was handed over to Sammy. Though it didn’t bother Gayle’s batting, he hit a strike of 333 runs against Sri Lanka conquering his 2nd triple century in test cricket. It was his very 1st match after the sacking of Gayle’s captaincy.
After World Cup 2011, Gayle was dropped because of a dispute with WICB and he then returned the next year.
The New Agreement
In 2014, the West Indies players chose to leave the Indian tour because of the pay dispute between WIPA (West Indies Players Association) & WICB. The dispute was related to a new agreement that covers the pay & conditions.
The senior players like Sammy, Bravo, and few others rejected the new agreement and demanded the resignation of WIPA Former chief (Former Test Opener) Wavell Hinds.
The Board decided to drop these players and replace them with young inexperienced players. This contributed to the major decline in the quality of the team.
The IPL
The financially struggling players looked more towards the rich cash IPL for more opportunities. The success of IPL stimulated many other cricket boards to launch their T20 match tournaments.