NEW DELHI: Cricket West Indies (CWI) CEO Jonny Grave criticized the International Cricket Council (ICC) for not providing financial support to the board.
Grave alleged that the cricketing world is actively working to prevent the growth of cricket in the Caribbean. Grave’s comments follow two significant events in West Indies cricket in the past year.
Last year, WI suffered a major setback by failing to qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup for the first time in history. They were defeated by the Netherlands, an associate member of the ICC, in the tournament qualifiers.
The absence of the West Indies team, which had previously dominated the World Cup, was noticeable in India, where West Indies cricketers are immensely popular due to their participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
However, the West Indies team bounced back with impressive victories in ODI and T20I series against England, the reigning champions of the ICC T20 World Cup.
Another significant moment in West Indies cricket history occurred when 24-year-old pacer Shamar Joseph delivered a remarkable performance, taking 7/68 and leading WI to their first Test victory on Australian soil in 27 years.
During an interview on the Wisden Cricket Monthly Podcast, Grave expressed his frustration with the notion that “world cricket needs a strong West Indies team” while seemingly working against their progress. He emphasized the need for increased financial support from the cricketing world to help West Indies cricket regain its strength.
Grave highlighted the decline in the Windies’ revenue share under the current ICC revenue model, which has dropped to just five percent. He questioned whether the cricketing community is truly acting as a united entity and prioritizing the quality of the sport on the field.
Grave stated, “This frustration stems from the patronizing tone that Ian Bishop has mentioned. If we genuinely want a strong West Indies Cricket, it shouldn’t be so difficult to provide a little more support. The ICC may claim to be providing more funds, but our percentage of revenue has decreased from seven percent to five percent, which is difficult for us to comprehend.”
He concluded by raising the question of whether the cricketing community is solely focused on individual interests or if they are truly working together as a community to deliver the best cricketing experience.
West Indies’ next challenge is the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, which they will co-host with the USA starting from June 1.
They recently competed in a white-ball series against Australia in February, where they faced defeat in both the ODI and T20I series.
In the 2021 T20 World Cup held in Oman and the United Arab Emirates, West Indies managed to secure only one victory and failed to advance to the Super 12s stage in the most recent tournament in Australia.
In the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, West Indies has been placed in Group C alongside New Zealand, Afghanistan, Uganda, and Papua New Guinea. Their first match is scheduled against Papua New Guinea on June 2.
(With inputs from ANI)
Grave alleged that the cricketing world is actively working to prevent the growth of cricket in the Caribbean. Grave’s comments follow two significant events in West Indies cricket in the past year.
Last year, WI suffered a major setback by failing to qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup for the first time in history. They were defeated by the Netherlands, an associate member of the ICC, in the tournament qualifiers.
The absence of the West Indies team, which had previously dominated the World Cup, was noticeable in India, where West Indies cricketers are immensely popular due to their participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
However, the West Indies team bounced back with impressive victories in ODI and T20I series against England, the reigning champions of the ICC T20 World Cup.
Another significant moment in West Indies cricket history occurred when 24-year-old pacer Shamar Joseph delivered a remarkable performance, taking 7/68 and leading WI to their first Test victory on Australian soil in 27 years.
During an interview on the Wisden Cricket Monthly Podcast, Grave expressed his frustration with the notion that “world cricket needs a strong West Indies team” while seemingly working against their progress. He emphasized the need for increased financial support from the cricketing world to help West Indies cricket regain its strength.
Grave highlighted the decline in the Windies’ revenue share under the current ICC revenue model, which has dropped to just five percent. He questioned whether the cricketing community is truly acting as a united entity and prioritizing the quality of the sport on the field.
Grave stated, “This frustration stems from the patronizing tone that Ian Bishop has mentioned. If we genuinely want a strong West Indies Cricket, it shouldn’t be so difficult to provide a little more support. The ICC may claim to be providing more funds, but our percentage of revenue has decreased from seven percent to five percent, which is difficult for us to comprehend.”
He concluded by raising the question of whether the cricketing community is solely focused on individual interests or if they are truly working together as a community to deliver the best cricketing experience.
West Indies’ next challenge is the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, which they will co-host with the USA starting from June 1.
They recently competed in a white-ball series against Australia in February, where they faced defeat in both the ODI and T20I series.
In the 2021 T20 World Cup held in Oman and the United Arab Emirates, West Indies managed to secure only one victory and failed to advance to the Super 12s stage in the most recent tournament in Australia.
In the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, West Indies has been placed in Group C alongside New Zealand, Afghanistan, Uganda, and Papua New Guinea. Their first match is scheduled against Papua New Guinea on June 2.
(With inputs from ANI)
