T20 WC exit speaks volumes about our level in cricket at the moment: Kieron Pollard
Oct 25, 2022
St John's [Antigua], October 25 : Former West Indies captain Kieron Pollard has described the team's failure to make the Super 12s of the 2022 T20 World Cup as a "sad day" for Caribbean cricket.
West Indies the two times T20 World Cup champion generally known as a T20 powerhouse, were knocked out from the qualifying stages of the event after defeats against Ireland and Scotland.
"A bit surprised, to be honest, that [West Indies] weren't able to get over the line against the other teams," Pollard told i95.5fm, a Trinidad-based radio station as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
"But again, that speaks volumes of where our cricket as is at the moment. I feel it. I feel it for the guys because they are the ones that are going to get the bashing. And it's not all their fault," he added.
West Indies' unexpected departure sparked mockery both domestically and abroad. Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting called the team's performances a "disgrace," while Cricket West Indies president Ricky Skerritt made a blistering statement promising an urgent "post-mortem."
"We have a young captain, we have young players, guys who would have played only a handful of [matches in] T20 cricket and now they are in the World Cup. And when I look back at it, I sit back and I have a smile on my face. Because I remember some of the things that was said last year around this time, when some individuals weren't selected," Pollard said.
"I just had to remind these people that there was a World Cup we were going to [in 2021] and another bilateral series [in New Zealand]. And now some of the individuals get the opportunity to play in the World Cup. And, again, look what has happened. It's no fault of theirs. But when we tried to sort of protect them and let people understand [in 2021], they were not ready for that, we were lambasted. There were a lot of things that were said that were very derogatory at times. It's a sad day for West Indies cricket and all of us," said the former West Indies skipper.
