New West Indies ODI captain Shai Hope said the team must start improving in all aspects of the game ahead of the 2023 ICC World Cup 50-over qualifiers later this year.
West Indies were scheduled to begin their three-match ODI series against South Africa on Thursday, but the first match was abandoned due to rain.
The coach and white-ball captain stepped down after West Indies were knocked out in the first round of the 2022 World Twenty20. Hope was named for the vacant ODI captaincy and Rovman Powell appointed as the T20 captain.
The 30-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman, Hope said different captains are not a hindrance for the three formats of the game on the international stage.
“I think it gives us the opportunity to focus on something more specific, something to build towards, because obviously this is a transition phase for us.”
“It gives us an opportunity to see how things can work, and for each captain to lean on each other, and hopefully, it can lead to good things, and especially for the ODI team, definitely to the World Cup.”
Neither West Indies nor South Africa are guaranteed a place in the format’s showpiece event because they languish at eighth and ninth respectively, in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup (CWC) Super League, and both can be overtaken by Sri Lanka, who play a three -match series against New Zealand later this month.
West Indies will compete in the World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe from June 18 to July 9 in a bid to seal a place in the World Cup in India in October and November 2023.
The regional team has completed their match schedule, winning only 9 games. Speaking to reporters at a news conference on the eve of the first match, the captain added that it was a new journey.
“It’s a new journey, but we cannot look too far ahead. The main focus is this South Africa series, and the key is to start well and finish better. We need to improve in all areas.”
“I do not think there is anything specific that we need to highlight right now, but I think we all have to come together and find the right formula and get that going because we definitely need to qualify for that World Cup. Everything we do now is geared towards that.”
Commenting further, Hope told reporters at a pre-match news conference,
“International cricket is international cricket. I think, whenever you cross that line, your aim is to win games, and I won’t say there is any particular path we want to take to make it to the World Cup.”
“But whenever we cross that line, we are playing for our region, we are playing for our country, so everything must go out there into the middle.”
“I won’t say there is anything specific for which we were hoping because we are playing for international pride and all those people back in the Caribbean, even all around the world who support West Indies, and we have to play our hearts out for them.”
Squads:
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (c), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Sisanda Magala, Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, Lizaad Williams, Rassie van der Dussen.
West Indies: Shai Hope (c), Rovman Powell (vice captain), Shamarh Brooks, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith.
West Indies need to go all out for a win.We are already at the bottom, we can only go up.