Holder: Time for Windies to win another World Cup
West Indies captain Jason Holder has said it is time for his side to follow in the footsteps of the Under-19 and women’s teams and add a third World Cup to the collection.
Speaking at the Harare Sports Club ahead of the World Cup Qualifier, which will be played from 4-25 March, Holder admitted the Windies needed to lift their 50-over cricket and hoped this 10-team tournament would help them to not only find a winning combination but also the momentum going into next year’s World Cup in England.
“We’ve done well in T20 cricket, we’ve done well in women’s cricket and in Under-19 cricket. I think it’s about time we win another World Cup,” said Holder, referring to the Windies’ victories in the World T20 and the U19 World Cup in 2016.
The Windies won the World Cup in 1975 and 1979 in the UK, but are featuring in the World Cup Qualifiers after finishing outside the top eight on the ODI rankings at the 30 September 2017 cut-off date.
Holder continued: “We know what is at stake. It is an opportunity for us to grab some momentum heading into next year’s World Cup, get some games under our belt, just finalise some combinations, get things straightened, and hopefully turn our cricket in terms of the ODI format.
“It is probably our weaker formats. No doubt, we have not been consistent, something that we have addressed, hopefully going forward we should see some good performances.
“We’ve got a well-balanced side, quality side with experience. Hopefully, we could gel together and make things happen in this tournament.
Holder praised Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels for making themselves available for the Qualifiers.
The Windies skipper said: “I must commend Chris and Marlon, who have come here without motivation to do well for the Windies and give themselves a chance to play another World Cup.
“As I said to the group, it may be an opportunity for guys to finish their careers well, it’s also an opportunity for guys to make a spark in their careers by playing in the World Cup.”
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