09 October,2026 11:01 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Sulieman Benn (Pic: X/@ICC)
Former West Indies' cricketer Sulieman Benn feels that financial and infrastructural resources are needed to bridge the gap between the grassroots level and the senior team.
He also said that the transition phase in West Indies' cricket needs to be as smooth as possible.
"You need resources, both financial and infrastructural, to bridge the gap between grassroots cricket and the players progressing through the Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 levels into the senior team. We have to ensure that this transition is as smooth as possible, but achieving that requires the necessary resources and investment," he said.
The former cricketer then said that cricket talent has been in the DNA of the Caribbean people and expressed confidence in reclaiming a place in world cricket.
"The West Indies have always been blessed with cricketing talent; it's part of our DNA. There are certainly some logistical issues that need to be addressed, but I'm confident that once those matters are sorted out, we will be back at the top again," said Benn.
Currently, the West Indies is busy featuring in the five-match T20I series against Team India. The visitors are trailing the ongoing five-match T20I series by 0-1 against the "Men in Blue".
Earlier, the West Indies suffered a loss by eight wickets in the first match at the Ekana Cricket Stadium B Ground in Lucknow. Hope smashed 52 runs in 37 balls, including six boundaries and two maximums. Sherfane Rutherford also garnered 56 runs in 34 balls, with the help of six boundaries and three maximums. With this, the visitors were bowled out for 171 runs in 19.1 overs.
Team India's Naman Dhir returned with three wickets, whereas Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav bagged two wickets each. Mayank Yadav and Arshdeep Singh claimed one wicket each.
Later in the second innings of the game, the hosts chased the target by scoring 172 runs for the loss of two wickets in 14.4 overs.
Captain Shreyas Iyer delivered a stunning knock of an unbeaten 102 runs off just 43 deliveries, which was laced with 10 boundaries and six maximums. Ishan Kishan stayed unbeaten on 37 runs in 27 balls. He also smashed five boundaries during his knock.
West Indies' Akeal Hosein and Roston Chase bagged one wicket each.
India: Sanju Samson (WK), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Shreyas Iyer (C), Ishan Kishan (WK), Shivam Dube, Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, Tilak Varma, Ravi Bishnoi, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mayank Yadav, Naman Dhir, Prince Yadav, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
West Indies: Akeal Hosein, Roston Chase, Shai Hope (C) (WK), Gudakesh Motie, Shimron Hetmyer, Amir Jangoo (WK), Keemo Paul, Shamar Springer, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd, Sherfane Rutherford, Matthew Forde, Kamil Pooran, Quentin Sampson, Jewel Andrew (WK), Shamar Joseph.
(With ANI Inputs)
