Captain Rovman Powell's West Indies team briefly moved up to third on the International Cricket Council (ICC) Twenty/20 rankings during the June 1-29 T20 World Cup, but their eventual Super Eight exit from the competition has been deemed as "underwhelming" by two-time T20 World Cup winner Samuel Badree.
Fancied by many pundits to become the first nation to win a T20 World Cup title on home soil, the Windies navigated a tough group which included New Zealand and giant-killers Afghanistan, advancing to the Super Eight phase with a perfect record. In the process, the Windies stretched their winning streak in the format to eight matches.
The die-hard Windies fans would have been optimistic heading into the Super Eights, as the regional team had defeated two of their Super Eight opponents – England and South Africa – in T20 series over the course of the last 15 months. In the case of the Proteas, who dramatically lost to India in the 2024 final at Kensington Oval, Barbados on Saturday, a Brandon King-led West Indies team had rattled off a 3-0 series win in the build-up to the T20 World Cup.
It's worth noting both teams were without seven players from their T20 World Cup squad owing to a combination of Indian Premier League commitments and rest.
[caption id="attachment_1093891" align="alignnone" width="819"] West Indies’ Andre Russell reacts during the men’s T20 World Cup match against the USA at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados, on June 21. - AP PHOTO[/caption]
With all the chips on the table in the Super Eight, the Windies became unstuck against both England and the Proteas, with a familiar Achilles heel rearing its ugly head – dot-ball percentage.
"Yes, we were unbeaten in the group stage, but you have to factor in we played against two associate teams in Uganda and Papua New Guinea," Badree told Newsday on Monday.
"In the Super Eights where the tougher teams usually meet, we were only able to beat the US. From that standpoint, I think our performance was a bit underwhelming."
In their first Super Eight match versus England at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia, on a batting strip described as the best in the tournament, the Windies made 180 for four. In a tourney which featured nine first-innings scores under 100, the West Indies score looked respectable, but a scathing attack from Phil Salt (87 not out from 47 balls) helped England knock off the target inside 18 overs.
In their innings, the West Indies were crippled by 51 dot balls – unable to score off almost nine of their allotted 20 overs.
In the nervy three-wicket, rain-affected loss to the Proteas in their final Super Eight game, the Windies were stifled by the wily spin and guile of the visitors with a staggering 57 dot balls – almost ten overs – in a modest total of 135 for eight at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua.
"The main hindrance in my mind was the batting and the dot-ball count. For too many matches, we had a dot-ball count of 50-plus," Badree said.
"When every other team was playing 20 overs, the West Ind
