CARICOM Chairman Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit is urging regional leaders to avoid confrontation in addressing the turbulent state of West Indies cricket.
Several Caribbean prime ministers have been vocal about the present state of the game in the region with Grenada’s Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Mitchell, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves and Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley calling for reform of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).
Skerrit noted that the reaction of his counterparts on the issue was their passion for the game boiling over and a strong desire to see the West Indies men’s team, in particular be far more competitive.
The Dominica prime minister said he would like to see the private sector in the region play a greater role in the development of the sport,
“I believe there has to be more discipline at all levels and a greater commitment from the private sector to cricket and its development,” he said.
The West Indies team is now ranked eighth in World Tests and One-Day Internationals but is rated fourth in Twenty20 Internationals, having won the World Cup in this format twice in the last five years.
Meanwhile, the West Indies team is considering a tour of Pakistan for two Twenty20s in March this year, subject to security clearance from the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA), after receiving a proposal and security plan from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) manager of cricket operations, Roland Holder said there is an offer from the PCB to play two TTwenty20 matches in Pakistan, subject to WIPA agreement and security clearance.
He said the WICB has received a security plan from the PCB which has been forwarded to the Board’s internal security manager.
Holder said WICB and WIPA are carrying out its own due diligence prior to making a determination as to the security situation since the safety of the players and staff is paramount.
Once these reports, he said, are received a final decision will be made after the WICB conducts an inspection of the venues.
Lahore is likely to host West Indies for two Twenty20s on March 18 and 19. The two teams will then move to Lauderhill in Florida for two more Twenty20s .