IT'S nothing unusual for West Indies teams to have off-the-field issues before a World Cup tournament. Those distractions have not always hampered the team's success. In fact, West Indies have used the 'bacchanal' as fuel which propelled the team to the summit of world cricket just five years ago.
West Indies are finalising preparations for the 2021 T20 World Cup in United Arab Emirates and Oman. The regional team will play England in their opening contest on Saturday at 10 am (TT time).
The build-up to the tournament has not been ideal. Apart from two crushing defeats in warm-up matches against Afghanistan and Pakistan there has been heated debates over the 15-man squad selected for the world cup. An experienced cricketer also had a feud with a former fast bowling legend concerning his role on the team.
Last week, 42-year-old Chris Gayle attacked West Indies fast bowling legend Sir Curtly Ambrose.
Ambrose said Gayle is not an automatic choice in the starting XI in the 2021 T20 World Cup.
Gayle did not appreciate the comments made by Ambrose calling for more positivity and said he is 'finished' with Ambrose and lost respect for the bowling legend.
Former West Indies captain Sir Vivian Richards, who played alongside Ambrose, defended his past teammate.
It's not the first time Gayle has clashed with a West Indies stakeholder leading up to a marquee tournament or match.
In 2015, Cricket West Indies president Dave Cameron re-tweeted a post by a fan who said, 'Gayle goes…can't buy a run. Let's give him a retirement package…can't fail repeatedly and still front up based on reputation.'
Gayle seemed to use Cameron's comments as motivation as shortly after he cracked 215 off 147 deliveries against Zimbabwe in the 2015 ICC 50-over World Cup.
Ambrose's opinion followed weeks of criticism after the West Indies T20 World Cup squad was announced.
Fans, journalists and former West Indies players questioned why some of the players were named on the team including Gayle.
The CWI selection panel, led by former West Indies cricketer Roger Harper, was lambasted.
Jason Holder, named as a travelling reserve, was unlucky to be overlooked according to some.
Others believed players like Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd and Sunil Narine should have been selected. CWI said Rutherford and Narine did not meet the fitness standard.
Holder, Darren Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell and Gudakesh Motie are the four travelling reserves.
But all these issues beyond the boundary may help the West Indies feel right at home.
Five years ago, the relationship between players and CWI turned sour before the start of the 2016 T20 World Cup in India due largely because of a salary dispute.
It did not seem to hamper the performance as behind Carlos Brathwaite's herculean effort West Indies won the final against England. The moment will be etched in the memory of all West Indies fans for years to come.
Needing 19 runs off the last over Brathwaite struck fast bowler Ben Stokes for four consecutive sixes in the first four ba
