MIRPUR, BANGLADESH — West Indies head coach Darren Sammy has voiced his frustration following the team's disappointing 1-2 ODI series loss to Bangladesh, which could have serious repercussions for their direct qualification for the 2027 World Cup. Speaking after the decisive third ODI, which saw the West Indies bowled out for a meager 117, Sammy did not shy away from criticizing his players' mindset and execution.
"I'm really disappointed in the way we've bowled," Sammy said, singling out the spinners for failing to adapt to the conditions. He noted that Bangladesh spinners "licked their lips" on the favorable turning pitches, while the West Indies bowling attack displayed a "very poor" and "not consistent enough" performance.
The coach praised Bangladesh for their superior approach to the challenging conditions, saying, "Bangladesh were better than us in all three disciplines. In the first two games, it looked like they understood what a par score was". He added that the hosts assessed the pitches better and had the "skill set to play smarter cricket than us".
Mindset and intent found wanting
Sammy particularly lamented the team's mentality, especially with automatic World Cup qualification at stake. He stressed that a series decider requires a mindset where players believe they can make a difference.
"You saw Bangladesh's intent," Sammy said, referring to the home team's brave approach to batting. In contrast, the West Indies lacked consistency and delayed their response to the pressure applied by the Bangladeshi batters, according to the coach. Sammy has called on his team to develop the skills to "counter whatever they face abroad" and adapt to varying conditions.
Respect for home advantage
Despite the challenging pitches, Sammy held no grudges against Bangladesh for maximizing their home advantage. "I always want to have some home advantage," he said, accepting that any host nation has the right to prepare a wicket that suits their strengths. The coach was clear that the blame for the loss lay with his team's poor performance, not the playing conditions.
Critical implications for World Cup 2027
The series loss has significant implications for West Indies' hopes of securing direct qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup. As of the current ICC ODI team rankings, the West Indies are ranked ninth, perilously close to the qualification cutoff. The series win for Bangladesh, who are ranked 10th, gives them a boost in the rankings, putting further pressure on the West Indies. With the race for the final automatic spot tightening, the West Indies must now perform exceptionally well in all their remaining ODIs to avoid being dragged into the arduous qualification tournament
