West Indies ended their campaign with a 28-run win over Afghanistan but the overall feeling around their campaign in England and Wales was of deep disappointment.
The Windies failed to live up to their tournament hype and fell flat after their smashing win in their opening game against Pakistan. Jason Holder’s men won just two out of their nine matches.
The frustrating aspect of their tournament was the number of times they relinquished positions of strength to fall to a defeat.
While there’s plenty of talent in this West Indies squad, there’s a lot of work for them to be top contenders in the 50-over format.
West Indies' results at 2019 ICC World Cup
| Opposition | Result |
|---|---|
| Pakistan | Won by 7 wickets |
| Australia | Lost by 15 runs |
| South Africa | No result |
| England | Lost by 8 wickets |
| Bangladesh | Lost by 7 wickets |
| New Zealand | Lost by 5 runs |
| India | Lost by 125 runs |
| Sri Lanka | Lost by 23 runs |
| Afghanistan | Won by 28 runs |
Top performers
Top three batsmen for West Indies at 2019 World
| Batsman | Matches | Innings | Runs Scored |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas Pooran | 9 | 8 | 367 |
| Shai Hope | 9 | 8 | 274 |
| Chris Gayle | 9 | 8 | 244 |
Top three bowlers for West Indies at 2019 World
| Bowlers | Matches | Matches/Innings | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheldon Cottrell | 9 | 9 | 12 |
| Oshane Thomas | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Carlos Brathwaite | 9 | 7 | 9 |
Biggest positive - Nicholas Pooran
Pooran wasn’t one of the batsmen earmarked to shine for the West Indies, but he ends the tournament being their highest run scorer. He has an average of over 50 in this World Cup and was one of the few West Indies batsman who showed the composure and maturity when required.
Pooran has been around for a while in international cricket, but at this World Cup, he has shown he is here to stay.
Biggest disappointment - Andre Russell
In-form all-rounder Andre Russell was supposed to be West Indies’ trump card at the World Cup. But he failed to have any kind of impact with the bat or the ball and was often seen struggling for fitness.
He was eventually ruled out of the tournament with an injury which was a great anti-climax for the all-rounder. Russell scored just 36 runs in four matches and picked up five wickets. While his contributions with the bat were disappointing, his poor fitness was the biggest letdown. There are questions over his credentials of being a successful ODI player considering his below-par fitness levels.
Top moment - Sheldon Cottrell’s salute celebration
West Indies had few cricketing moments to remember in this World Cup. But the 2019 World Cup will be remembered for Sheldon Cottrell’s salute celebrations. Although it is not one particular moment, Cottrell’s salute celebration became very popular, especially with the kids.
Players to watch out for in future - Nicholas Pooran and Oshane Thomas
Pooran was definitely the stand-out player for West Indies and is a great prospect for the future. Aged just 23, West Indies will hope the middle-order batsman is here for the long haul.
With the ball, Oshane Thomas showed glimpses of his quality during the game against Pakistan when he picked up four wickets. He blew hot and cold after that, but he’s definitely one for the future. Just 22, he has plenty of cricket left in him.
