Scotland’s victory over the West Indies in the men’s World Cup qualifier at Harare Sports Club (HSC) on Saturday is just one of their recent accomplishments. They have now won consecutively against the West Indies, including a T20 World Cup match in Hobart. Moreover, Scotland has emerged victorious in 16 out of 27 white-ball internationals since December 2022. They currently hold the 12th position in the ODI rankings, surpassing Nepal, the Netherlands, and the UAE. In fact, Scotland has the highest winning percentage among these teams since June 2018, having won 38.12% more of their ODIs than the Dutch.
During the qualifiers, Scotland managed to defeat Ireland, the UAE, and Oman, with their team missing the experience of 108 caps worth of white-ball international matches due to certain players opting to stay with their counties or being injured. However, for neutral observers, Scotland’s achievements at HSC on Saturday may not have mattered as much as the realization that the West Indies, once dominant in cricket, are now struggling and won’t qualify for the upcoming World Cup.
The decline of the West Indies can be traced back to 1995 when their global cricket dominance began to wane. In the first 20 years since the inaugural World Cup in 1975, they won a remarkable 265 out of 452 matches played, boasting a success rate of 58.63% and only losing 121 matches. However, since then, their performance has significantly deteriorated. Out of 999 matches, they won 355 and lost 536, resulting in a winning percentage of 35.54%. This represents a decline of 23.09%.
The true measure of their decline lies not only in the statistics but also in the visible signs of the West Indians’ slump and lackluster performance on the field. They exhibit a sense of disbelief and despair as they make poor strokes and reminisce about the greatness of their predecessors. The current state of the West Indies team is burdened by accumulated failures and the assumption that their success would continue indefinitely.
Recent matches against Zimbabwe, the Netherlands, and Scotland have further highlighted the West Indies’ struggles. They were beaten by Zimbabwe in front of a roaring crowd, tied with the Netherlands after conceding their record ODI total, and finally lost to Scotland, who convincingly chased down a modest target. The silence that prevailed during the West Indies’ defeat to Scotland was in stark contrast to their lively chatter on previous occasions.
West Indies captain Jason Holder admitted that this is one of the lowest points for the team but believes there are still positives, particularly in the performances of Nicholas Pooran and the younger players who have shown promise. Holder emphasizes the need to provide support to the young players in the team and turn their cricket around.
Scotland’s coach, Doug Watson, expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance, highlighting their blueprint for success—taking wickets and having a batsman in the top four bat through the innings. He sees matches like the one against the West Indies as a privilege for Scotland and believes they can compete at this level.
In the end, while Scotland celebrates their achievements, the West Indies are left to reflect on their decline and search for ways to consistently improve their cricketing performances.
