Legendary fast-bowler Curtly Ambrose believes the Rovman Powell-led co-hosts West Indies have enough talent to win an unmatched third ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title when the competition begins from June 1. West Indies have won the Men’s T20 World Cup twice in 2012 and 2016 respectively.
But they have had an underwhelming run in the last two editions of the showpiece event. In 2021, Kieron Pollard-led West Indies failed to enter the knockouts after winning just one game in the group phase.
A year later, under Nicholas Pooran’s leadership in Australia, they couldn’t enter the Super ten stage. West Indies also missed out on qualifying for the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup in India after failing to be the top two teams in the qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe.
But Ambrose thinks the West Indies’ fortunes are turning under skipper Rovman Powell and pointed to T20I series successes over powerhouses South Africa, India, and England in the last 14 months as evidence of this.
These returns have the legendary fast bowler confident of a strong showing from the West Indies in the ninth edition of the T20 World Cup, an event they will co-host with the USA.
“We have a very, very good team,” Ambrose claimed when speaking at the launch of the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York earlier this week.
“As we speak they (West Indies players) are in Antigua at a camp preparing themselves for the start of the T20 World Cup which is a couple of weeks away.
“I believe once the guys start playing consistent cricket and smart cricket, I believe we can take the trophy.
“It is not going to be easy, but we are one of only two nations to have won it twice so we are going to try and make it three.
“And no other nation has ever won it on home soil, so all that is motivation for the guys to do well and I am hoping they can do it.”
The West Indies are drawn in Group C at the T20 World Cup and face the champions of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup East Asia-Pacific Qualifier Papua New Guinea first up in Guyana on June 2, before their remaining opening round fixtures against Uganda, New Zealand and Afghanistan.
Ambrose expects to see some upsets at this year’s edition of the T20 World Cup as he knows every side has plenty of talented players at their disposal.
“I admire a lot of cricketers (at the T20 World Cup) and I am looking forward to them doing well,” he said.
“As a proud Antiguan and being from the West Indies, I want the West Indies to win.
“It is not going to be easy because in T20 cricket every team has an equal chance of beating any other team and that is just the nature of T20 cricket.
“It is going to be exciting, but I am going to be rooting for the West Indies.”