Fans wave American and Jamaican fl ags during team warmups before a 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfi nals
soccer match, Sunday, July 25, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. Associated Press/Brandon Wade/File
Caribbean L 30 ife, OCTOBER 8-14, 2021
By Azad Ali
Cricket West Indies (CWI) President,
Ricky Skerrit is calling on West
Indies cricket fans everywhere, to
throw their full support behind the
West Indies team when it defends the
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Twenty20 World Cup title from Oct.
17 – Nov. 14 in the United Arab Emirates
(UAE) and Oman.
With the countdown already on
towards the start of the marquee
event, Skerritt has asked the fan base
and all stakeholders to help create a
winning West Indian spirit of passion
and unity, in face of a global battle.
The West Indies team is going in
pursuit of an unprecedented third
world title.
He said the selectors have produced
a fit-for-purpose squad, which
is a rich mixture of experienced leadership,
proven match-winners and
youthful talent.
By Azad Ali
Veteran West Indies batsman,
Chris Gayle withdrew from the Punjab
King for the remainder of the
Indian Premier League (CPL) because
of bio-secure bubble fatigue.
Gayle said in a statement released
through the Kings that he wanted
to take a break ahead of the ICC
Twenty20 World Cup, which starts on
Oct. 17 in the United Arab Emirates
and Oman.
“Over the past few months, I have
been a part of the CWI (Cricket
West Indies) bubble, CPL (Caribbean
Premier League) followed by
the IPL bubble and I wish to mentally
recharge and refresh myself,”
he said.
“I want to focus on helping the
West Indies in the Twenty20 World
Cup and would like to take a break in
Dubai,” Gayle said.
Gayle played only three matches
since the IPL resumed on Sept. 19
in the UAE because of the COVID-19
pandemic in India in April.
Gayle scored only 14, 15 and one in
three innings.
CWI coach
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which CWI, the sport’s regional governing
body, said was part of its
strategic plan to invest in building
coaching depth and quality across
the region.
Apart from Chanderpaul, the other
well-known players purchasing the
coaching course are Ryan Austin,
Ryad Emrit, Gary Mathuring and
Nikita Miller.
CWI’s coach development manager,
Chris Barbazon said the program
will significantly enhance high-performance
cricket across the region.
Barbazon worked with the University
of the West Indies over the past
year to develop the high-performance
level coaching course.
He said the 12-month course will
provide will provide several of the
Twenty20 cricket and features some
of the sport’s biggest superstars.
Launched in collaboration with the
ICC’s global broadcast partner Star
Sports, the film premiered worldwide
last week across ICC, BCCI and Star
Sports’ social media handles.
The Twenty20 World Cup is the
pinnacle of the shortest format of
cricket and returns for the first time
in five years.
ries, the US once again can call key
pieces like Ricardo Pepi, who scored
in a 4-1 win against Honduras that
closed out the September window, and
midfielder stalwart Tyler Adams,” CONCACAF
said.
It said Jamaica also is missing some
of their attacking firepower, with Aston
Villa winger Leon Bailey injured and
unable to make the trip, but Michail
Antonio and Shamar Nicholson, the
latter coming off goals against both
Mexico and Costa Rica in September’s
matches, “will make sure the Reggae
Boyz still pack a punch.”
In a dozen meetings, CONCACAF said
the US has lost just once to Jamaica in
qualification, with Rodolph Austin and
the late Luton Shelton on the mark in a
2-1 win in September of 2012, “a speed
bump for the North Americans on the
road to Brazil 2014.”
CONCACAF said half of the contests
between the teams in qualification have
ended in a draw.
“Jamaica Head Coach, Theodore
Whitmore will hope for another positive
result against what should be a passionate
crowd cheering on the US in Central
Texas,” it said.
Continued from Page 29
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US plays Jamaica in Austin, Texas
T20 World
Cup film
Gayle pulls out IPL to focus on World Cup
West Indies’ Chris Gayle. Action Images via Reuters / Lee Smith
WI T20 World
Cup squad