The West Indies may be trailing in their three-match ODI series against New Zealand, but the bigger picture remains firmly in focus, securing an automatic
berth for the 2027 ICC 50-over World Cup.
Assistant coach Floyd Reifer has declared the touring side a team on a mission, one that has already made significant strides since the painful disappointment of missing the 2023 tournament.
With the next World Cup scheduled for South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in 2027, the race for qualification is already underway.
Hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, will qualify automatically, joined by the top eight teams in the ICC ODI rankings as of March 31, 2027.
The remaining four spots will be fought for in qualifying tournaments, a path the West Indies are desperate to avoid.
Currently, the Men in Maroon occupy the ninth and final automatic qualification spot, with Bangladesh lurking just two rating points behind.
This context makes every match, including the ongoing series in New Zealand, critically important.
“This series is an important step in seeing where the team is after missing the last World Cup,” Reifer stated. “Between then and now, we’ve made some changes, and we’ve been playing decent cricket.”
Reifer pointed to marked improvements in the squad, particularly with the bat, as a reason for optimism. The team has climbed two places in the rankings on the back of recent series victories.
“We’re trying to work on our consistency in all three departments, and as you see, I think that our batting has really come leaps and bounds in the ODI format. We’ve managed to win a few series as well, and managed to gain some points. So now we’re looking forward to this series, obviously, and looking to do well.”
The equation is simple for the West Indies: win games, gain points, and solidify their standing. “Once we win a couple of games, then we can gain some more points going forward into that World Cup qualification,” Reifer said.
The immediate task is to bounce back from their first-game defeat. The West Indies will take on New Zealand in the second ODI this Tuesday in Napier, aiming to level the series.
(CMC)
