NAPIER – The West Indies returned last night to the territory where their World Cup campaign began, looking for a different result and depending on some assistance from the two teams they played in New Zealand.
When the plane touched down at the Hawke’s Bay Airport, a place reminiscent of the Robert L. Bradshaw International in St Kitts, the first thing that the team members checked on their phones was the result between India and Ireland.
It was with a sense of relief that they learned that Ireland’s defeat meant their net run rate was inferior to the West Indies, even if the Irish had more points. It means that the West Indies need to beat the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday and hope that Pakistan dispose of Ireland.
A washout in the latter clash would spell the end of the West Indies tournament.
It is the defeat to Ireland at Nelson in the opening match, that has mainly left them in this position of dependency. But captain Jason Holder refuses to look back; he is just focused on the task at hand.