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SYDNEY: Australian legend Ricky Ponting has criticized the once formidable West Indies’ early exit from the T20 World Cup a “disgrace”.
Two-time champions West Indies were knocked out of the tournament after their heavy defeat against Ireland, with their campaign lasting just three matches.
After an opening defeat to Scotland in Hobart, West Indies cruised to victory over Zimbabwe before losing to Ireland in a winner-takes-all match.
“It’s a shame,” Ponting said at the SCG ahead of the opening match of the Super 12s between Australia and New Zealand here on Saturday.
“It’s so bad for their cricket. They have too much talent in that team and in West Indies Cricket not being able to get through to the next phase of a World Cup tournament.
“And even one of their main players who didn’t make the flight to come here for a World Cup… To me that kind of probably sums up how little these events mean to the West Indies players and if you looking at the road. that they were playing, you would say the same thing.
“(Nicholas) Pooran and these guys, they’re much better players than we’ve seen in the last couple of weeks, so there’s no doubt there will be soul-searching when they come back.
“They’ll be as disappointed as anyone, it’s easy for me to stand here and say it’s a shame they didn’t make it, but they’ll be hurt as much as anyone.
“They would have had big thoughts and dreams coming here and they haven’t played nearly well enough to even advance. So they have work to do.”
West Indies will return to Australia next month for a two-Test series. The West Indies, who last played a Test series in Australia in 2015-16, have not won since 1997.
“I didn’t need to see that to worry me more about the first few Tests,” Ponting said.
“But what’s interesting about it, they’ve actually found a way, mainly at home I think, in the last couple of years to be quite competitive on the Test front with Brathwaite … and Holder, he’s done a really good job in Test cricket for them.
“But they’re going to have to find some lengths if they’re going to compete against the Aussies with the current squad the Australians have. If you just line them up on paper, there’s no way you think they can compete.
“Cricket is a funny game but I think they will have to play out of their skin to make the first two Tests entertaining.”
Two-time champions West Indies were knocked out of the tournament after their heavy defeat against Ireland, with their campaign lasting just three matches.
After an opening defeat to Scotland in Hobart, West Indies cruised to victory over Zimbabwe before losing to Ireland in a winner-takes-all match.
“It’s a shame,” Ponting said at the SCG ahead of the opening match of the Super 12s between Australia and New Zealand here on Saturday.
“It’s so bad for their cricket. They have too much talent in that team and in West Indies Cricket not being able to get through to the next phase of a World Cup tournament.
“And even one of their main players who didn’t make the flight to come here for a World Cup… To me that kind of probably sums up how little these events mean to the West Indies players and if you looking at the road. that they were playing, you would say the same thing.
“(Nicholas) Pooran and these guys, they’re much better players than we’ve seen in the last couple of weeks, so there’s no doubt there will be soul-searching when they come back.
“They’ll be as disappointed as anyone, it’s easy for me to stand here and say it’s a shame they didn’t make it, but they’ll be hurt as much as anyone.
“They would have had big thoughts and dreams coming here and they haven’t played nearly well enough to even advance. So they have work to do.”
West Indies will return to Australia next month for a two-Test series. The West Indies, who last played a Test series in Australia in 2015-16, have not won since 1997.
“I didn’t need to see that to worry me more about the first few Tests,” Ponting said.
“But what’s interesting about it, they’ve actually found a way, mainly at home I think, in the last couple of years to be quite competitive on the Test front with Brathwaite … and Holder, he’s done a really good job in Test cricket for them.
“But they’re going to have to find some lengths if they’re going to compete against the Aussies with the current squad the Australians have. If you just line them up on paper, there’s no way you think they can compete.
“Cricket is a funny game but I think they will have to play out of their skin to make the first two Tests entertaining.”
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