(AFP Photo)

Despite the West Indies feeling disappointed by their T20 World Cup exit, skipper Rovman Powell remains optimistic. He sees this as the beginning of a positive shift in Caribbean cricket culture.

In their match against South Africa, the West Indies batted first after Aiden Markram’s decision. Despite a shaky start leaving them at 5/2, Roston Chase’s resilient innings of 52 runs helped them reach a modest total of 135 runs.

During South Africa’s chase, persistent rain threatened to disrupt play, which could have dashed the West Indies’ hopes if the match had been abandoned. Fortunately, a revised target of 123 runs from 17 overs kept their chances alive.

Powell’s team fought valiantly, showcasing clinical bowling skills that pushed South Africa to the edge. However, Marco Jansen’s composure amid the challenges secured a narrow 3-wicket victory for South Africa in the final over.

“Credit to the boys for fighting till the end. As a batting group this is a performance we want to forget, we didn’t bat well in the middle overs. We lost wickets in clusters and that always breaks the back of the batting team. It was a commendable effort,” stated skipper Rovman Powell in a post-match interview.

Despite the heartbreaking loss, Powell sees a silver lining: the T20 World Cup revived West Indies cricket. Hosting the tournament and the team’s performance reminded the Caribbean of cricket’s importance after years of declining standards and support.

“We haven’t won the World Cup or reached the semifinal but we have played some good cricket in the last 12 months. There is a buzz among the supporters about West Indies cricket again and that is something we take away. We really appreciate the support we have got,” stated a proud Powell.

South Africa’s victory now sees them advance alongside England as the semi-finalists from Super Eight Group 2.