West Indies should take leaf out of Afghanistan's book to improve, says Vivian Richards

Mumbai: "Annoyed" and "hurt" with the absence of West Indies in the Champions Trophy, the legendary Sir Vivian Richards wants the Caribbean side to take a leaf out of Afghanistan's book to re-establish themselves as a force in world cricket.

West Indies and Sri Lanka, the two former ODI World Cup and Champions Trophy winning sides, failed to make the cut for the eight-team event being played in Pakistan and Dubai.

"I'm just hoping that my West Indies team can take a leaf out of these guys' book, because there is a passion and energy that the Afghanis have brought to the game," Richards, who is the governing council member of the International Masters League, told media on Sunday.

"They haven't been in the cricket world for so long as maybe some other teams around the world, but just their fighting spirit. To me, the ability to learn as the years go by, that would have given them the experience that's needed in order for them to be where they're at," he said in a virtual interaction.

“When you can see Afghanistan in the Champions League, and the West Indies not, it means that Afghanistan is doing something right,” he said.

Considered gritty minnows not long ago, Afghanistan have now become a decent force in the Asian region on the back of some consistent showing.

Richards said West Indies will need efforts from everyone involved, not just the players, to improve. Apart from missing the ongoing Champions Trophy, the West Indies had also not taken part in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.

“In order for us to get ourselves back where we once were, it is going to take maybe not just the players, but individuals from the board, people who are in responsible positions,” he said.

“For them to believe that this is not just the players, but it takes people from the board to identify the things that may be missing, (as to) why we are not there.” “I feel very annoyed with the fact that the West Indies team, with such (a) huge legacy, is not in the Champions Trophy and it hurts. It makes me feel very, very sad, because we are much better than that,” he said.

Richards said West Indies need people on the administrative part to realise what it would take to keep the Caribbean side among top teams in world, or else they would keep struggling.

“The advice that maybe I can give in the future is for everyone who identifies that West Indies need to be at the very top tier of world cricket, (and) until we identify that, we'll be basically in a position where we will continue to struggle,” he said.

ICC must answer the question on CT scheduling

Not knowing if they would be playing their Champions Trophy semifinal in Dubai or in Lahore, both Australia and South Africa travelled to the UAE in anticipation as their opponent will be decided after the outcome of the India-New Zealand contest on Sunday.

While Australia travelled to the UAE on Saturday, South Africa were slated to board a flight out of Pakistan on Sunday.

With India playing all their matches of the competition in Dubai, the final will also be at the Dubai International Stadium provided Rohit Sharma’s team makes the summit clash.

Former England cricketers Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton had also recently said India have the advantage of not having to travel to the other venues.

"People may have a point when they say that. I guess that's due to politics — I don't want to get into the politic side of things,” he said.

“But I believe the people who are responsible, in terms of the governing and the ruling of the game in itself which is the ICC, they're the ones who I think got the problem.” “I would like them to come up with an answer, why? If they are the governing body of cricket, why is that happening at present? I honestly believe one of the things that can bring all of us together, fans and everyone, even enemies together, (is) sports," he said.