ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022: "West Indies don't have Quality To Pick Any team, We Are Going To Be Struggling For Long Time": Former WI Pacer Winston Benjamin

In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, veteran West Indies fast bowler Winston Benjamin discussed the support he received from the sportswear manufacturer PUMA and shared his thoughts on the current Windies team and their prospects of winning the next T20 World Cup.

A few months ago, a video that featured a former West Indies fast bowler asking India great Sachin Tendulkar for assistance with cricket equipment for aspiring players at his academy became widely popular.

The financial crisis that West Indies has long been experiencing—which was made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic—required the board to borrow money to pay its officials and players. Cricket at the grassroots level continues to suffer, even as the board management continues to regain its footing and achieve financial stability.

Winston Benjamin had so contacted Sachin in August to ask for assistance for some of the players at his academy but was instead surprised by the response he got from the sportswear company PUMA.

“I spoke briefly with a representative of Sachin’s company but I haven’t heard anything back from there yet. Our last conversation was about putting things together but I haven’t heard from him yet at this point” Winston Benjamin said.

“I am happy and was a little bit surprised at how quickly PUMA came on board to present us with some well-needed equipment and we are very appreciative of the effort that PUMA has put in. They sent everything for us. They paid for everything and we are very very happy,” Winston Benjamin said.

I don’t think we have the quality: Winston Benjamin

The current Windies team has received harsh criticism from Benjamin, who played for West Indies in 21 Tests and 85 ODIs between 1987 and 1995. Benjamin believes the team would struggle for a while.

“I don’t think we have the quality. We need to play like a team that would compete but we don’t have the quality to be picking the T20 or the ODI team. We are going to be struggling for a long time,” he said.

He responded when questioned about the team’s performance at the T20 World Cup, which starts later this month: “T20 can still go. I am referring to ODI or Test cricket, which is proper cricket. T20 is inconsistent. A T20 competition is open to everyone. Take a look at the West Indies team; they are more at ease playing T20 because they can put together and construct an innings. They simply play shots; if they succeed, they succeed; if they escape punishment, then congratulations to them.”

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