Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai celebrates after profitable their Champions Trophy league match towards England on February 26, 2025.
| Picture Credit score: Reuters
“Aggravated” and “harm” with the absence of West Indies within the Champions Trophy, the legendary Sir Vivian Richards desires the Caribbean facet to take a leaf out of Afghanistan’s e-book to re-establish themselves as a power in world cricket.
West Indies and Sri Lanka, the 2 former ODI World Cup and Champions Trophy profitable sides, didn’t make the lower for the eight-team occasion being performed in Pakistan and Dubai.
“I’m simply hoping that my West Indies staff can take a leaf out of those guys’ e-book, as a result of there’s a ardour and vitality that the Afghanis have dropped at the sport,” Richards, who’s the governing council member of the Worldwide Masters League, advised media on Sunday.
“They haven’t been within the cricket world for as long as perhaps another groups world wide, however simply their combating spirit. To me, the power to study because the years go by, that may have given them the expertise that’s wanted to ensure that them to be the place they’re at,” he stated in a digital interplay.
“When you possibly can see Afghanistan within the Champions League, and the West Indies not, it signifies that Afghanistan is doing one thing proper,” he stated.
Thought-about gritty minnows not way back, Afghanistan have now grow to be a good power within the Asian area on the again of some constant displaying.
Richards stated West Indies will want efforts from everybody concerned, not simply the gamers, to enhance. Other than lacking the continuing Champions Trophy, the West Indies had additionally not taken half within the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.
“To ensure that us to get ourselves again the place we as soon as have been, it’s going to take perhaps not simply the gamers, however people from the board, people who find themselves in accountable positions,” he stated.
“For them to imagine that this isn’t simply the gamers, nevertheless it takes folks from the board to establish the issues which may be lacking, (as to) why we’re not there.” “I really feel very aggravated with the truth that the West Indies staff, with such (a) enormous legacy, is just not within the Champions Trophy and it hurts. It makes me really feel very, very unhappy, as a result of we’re a lot better than that,” he stated.
Richards stated West Indies want folks on the executive half to understand what it will take to maintain the Caribbean facet amongst prime groups in world, or else they’d preserve struggling.
“The recommendation that perhaps I may give sooner or later is for everybody who identifies that West Indies have to be on the very prime tier of world cricket, (and) till we establish that, we’ll be mainly able the place we’ll proceed to wrestle,” he stated.
ICC should reply the query on CT scheduling
Not realizing if they’d be taking part in their Champions Trophy semifinal in Dubai or in Lahore, each Australia and South Africa travelled to the UAE in anticipation as their opponent will probably be determined after the result of the India-New Zealand contest on Sunday.
Whereas Australia travelled to the UAE on Saturday, South Africa have been slated to board a flight out of Pakistan on Sunday.
With India taking part in all their matches of the competitors in Dubai, the ultimate may also be on the Dubai Worldwide Stadium offered Rohit Sharma’s staff makes the summit conflict.
Former England cricketers Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton had additionally lately stated India have the benefit of not having to journey to the opposite venues.
“Individuals could have a degree once they say that. I suppose that is resulting from politics — I do not wish to get into the politic facet of issues,” he stated.
“However I imagine the people who find themselves accountable, by way of the governing and the ruling of the sport in itself which is the ICC, they’re those who I believe obtained the issue.”
“I would really like them to provide you with a solution, why? If they’re the governing physique of cricket, why is that occuring at current? I truthfully imagine one of many issues that may carry all of us collectively, followers and everybody, even enemies collectively, (is) sports activities,” he stated.
Revealed – March 03, 2025 04:18 on is
