Since my last commentary, the West Indies Under-19 World Cup team have been performing with a level of "sterling" grit that suggests they’ve traded their nerves for pure adrenaline. None more so than their recent narrow loss to an unbeaten, title-favourite Australia team.
Heading into the encounter, the Aussies had an invincible aura about them, and when they posted a daunting 314, admittedly, I was ready to pour myself a drink to drown my sorrows. But I was gloriously wrong, as they came within 22 runs of a miracle. The young West Indies scared the living daylights out of the Aussies with awesome power hitting, and to lose by such a narrow margin was a tremendous effort.
The math now dictates a "do-or-die" scenario against Sri Lanka. WI needs a victory by a margin wider than the gap between Cricket West Indies (CWI)’s promises and their actions.
It’s all about the net run rate (a calculation that usually requires a PhD) in order to top both Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, as Australia is already into the semi-finals as one of the two teams from this group. The Aussies were always going to be Mount Everest for the West Indies to climb, and even though they lost 4 wickets while chasing the modest total of 118 against the South Africans, Australia still won the game with 17.1 overs left.
They are a good all-round team, strong in the bowling, and to score 300+ in multiple games, they are very capable with the batting. Unfortunately, and I must compliment the WI youngsters again, it was a magnificent effort from the team, as chasing 314 was like trying to climb Mount Everest in slippers, and falling just short, they cannot be faulted.
What has pleased me the most has been the bowling of this Under-19 outfit. For years, I have been, as usual, a distant voice in the wilderness, crying out to the territorial boards, especially the Trinidad & Tobago Cricket Board (who suffer terribly from hearing problems), to go out there and find 2 types of bowlers: 1) a good leg spinner and 2) more importantly, a good left-arm chinaman and googly specialist in the mould of (for those of you who remember him) Inshan Ali.
What I have seen of this attack, the West Indies U19s are well on their way.
The leggie, Micah McKenzie, is an absolute menace who seems to have mastered the art of bamboozlement. I first saw him play in the West Indies breakout league in 2025, and he literally was unplayable. After being sidelined for the opening game for the Leeward Islands Thunder, he returned to take 12 wickets in the remaining 5 matches at an average of 11.33, with an economy rate of just over 6; the kind of stats that make batsmen want to take up golf instead.
The other impressive spinner is the left-arm back-of-the-hand Vitel Lawes, an 18-year-old Jamaican who seems to have appeared out of thin air. I tried to do some research as to who he has played for, but he did not even feature in the 2025 breakout league. What an impact he has made, scalping 9 wickets in his 36 overs to date.
His dismissal of South Africa’s Jason Rowles was the ‘Ball of the Tournament’. Rowles, who went into the game with stats that looked like he was playing a video game with scores of 98 and 125 not out, was left staring at his off-stump with the look of a man who’d just seen a ghost, just as he was threatening to take the game away from the West Indian youngsters.
McKenzie and Lawes will have to play important roles going forward if the young West Indies hope to qualify for the bigger games to follow.
The other big performer with the ball is Shaquan Belle, the medium pacer who has 8 wickets. He also looks like a good prospect with a big heart and some pace, and he can develop into a very useful all-rounder.
The batting, however, has been a little disappointing outside of this Australian game. Jewel Andrew is the main man, and it was interesting to note that the only game he failed was against South Africa.
Zachary Carter (whose power puts him in the Hulk category) scored a brilliant 114 and provided the batting with the urgent injection of power it desperately needed, especially as the fixtures are becoming increasingly tougher.
Once again, my cry is when these players come back to the Caribbean, CWI has to work with the respective boards and get specialised training for special players like Micah McKenzie and Vitel Lawes, etc. Do not let these "precious diamonds" be lost to the void, as we have seen with some other players.
Please, for the love of the game, treat them with care.
Staying with cricket, the West Indies have finally named their men’s T20 World Cup squad. Going through the chosen ones, Johnson Charles has made the cut (instead of Evin Lewis), and frankly, he should head straight to the nearest betting booth, as his luck is legendary.
He likely features as the "in case of emergency, break glass" opener and backup keeper, as I expect Shai Hope to partner with Brandon King at the top of the order.
Hope’s steady hand will be instrumental in getting the West Indies off to a good start, either in setting totals or chasing down a target, and he is vital for preventing the usual Caribbean collapse we’ve all grown uncomfortably accustomed to.
The rest of the squad picks itself, with the inclusion of Quentin Sampson being a fascinating wild card.
He’s the floating pick—a man for all seasons who can either pinch-hit at the top (if the openers are not scoring) or provide late-innings pyrotechnics, but he is inexperienced at the international level.
He now has his chance, as it seems the likes of Alick Athanaze and Kacey Carty are no longer options. I would have been keen to see young Ackeem Auguste given a chance (I understand he may be injured), as his mindset during the CPL seemed strong, but it appears he will have to wait his turn.
Once Sherfane Rutherford can find his form, together with Rovman Powell and Shimron Hetmyer in the middle order and towards the death overs, the West Indies batting could be a threat if they click, as the batting is quite deep with Jason Holder, Romario Shepherd and Gudakesh Motie at the back end.
The bowling is well taken care of, but Alzarri Joseph is going to be a big miss, both for his pace and his ‘I’m about to ruin your day’ aggression. Left-arm orthodox spinners Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie should do well in the subcontinent pitches and, on their day, can be a force for any batting lineup.
Roston Chase's bowling has improved at the T20 level, and as the third spinning option, he should lend Hosein and Motie the necessary backup to keep the opposition batting in check. The quickies have to be more mindful of the pitches, to prioritise "guile" over "gas". On these tracks, raw pace is just a faster way to reach the boundary.
The focus should be on "line and length", yorkers, slower balls, and even slower bouncers (where applicable). Much will depend on the experience of Holder, but all the pacers pick themselves, and they have the quality to do well.
Can the West Indies become the first team to win three titles, a decade after their last triumph in 2016? All in all, it’s a squad that has chosen itself.
Hopefully, the bowlers will adapt to the conditions, and who knows, with the T20 format on the day, it comes down to who plays the better cricket. Keep your fingers crossed—this squad have the tools; they just need to use them. Good luck to both West Indies teams in your respective World Cups.
Editor’s note: The views expressed in the preceding article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views of any organisation in which he is a stakeholder.
