Last Updated on 8 months ago by Charbel Coorey
Cricket West Indies (CWI) held an emergency summit in Trinidad on August 11–12, bringing together some of the greatest cricketing names of the country. Brian Lara, Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Clive Lloyd, Desmond Haynes, Shivnarine Chanderpaul along with head coach Daren Sammy met to address the deepening crisis in West Indies cricket.
The two-day discussions produced a list of around several issues affecting the game, with five areas marked as immediate priorities:
- Improving player facilities
- Upgrading practice pitches across islands
- Strengthening the domestic competition structure
- Enhancing physical conditioning; and
- Introducing early-career skill development.
West Indies Cricket focus on key areas of improvement as they look to become a force once again
CWI CEO Chris Dehring stressed that the decline is systemic, with technical and fitness shortcomings exposed when players reach the international stage. A key recommendation from the meeting was to seek “special dispensation” from the ICC for increased financial support, citing the funding gap and West Indies’ historical contribution to world cricket.
Clive Lloyd warned that without such backing, the team risks languishing in a lower tier if a two-division World Test Championship is implemented.
Brian Lara noted the growing gap between West Indies and top teams, pointing to advancements in technology, analytics, and preparation globally. He also highlighted a shift in player priorities, with franchise T20 leagues often taking precedence over national duty, and urged the board to create an environment that retains talent like Nicholas Pooran.
The meeting also discussed establishing a centralised high-performance centre and formal academy structure to create a stronger talent pipeline. Lara cautioned that while the roadmap is clear, meaningful change will take years, not months.
This intervention comes after the team’s humiliating collapse for 27 in a recent Test against Australia. The lowest total in their history served as a wake-up call for both management and former greats. The unity between CWI and past legends marks one of the strongest collaborative efforts yet to restore the West Indies to competitive strength on the world stage.
Amid this chaos, West Indies produced an inspiring performance to command a 2-1 series win in the ODIs against Pakistan, including a 202-run victory in the decider on Tuesday.
