ODI World Cup 2023

'Mighty Windies are fallen' - Fans can't digest as 2-time champions West Indies fail to qualify for 2023 ODI World Cup

Two-time champions West Indies failed to qualify for the 2023 ODI World Cup after a hat-trick of losses in the Super Six stage of qualifiers.

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West Indies (Source: Twitter)

West Indies West Indies (Source: Twitter)

Two-time champions West Indies will not feature in the 2023 ODI World Cup following a hat-trick of losses in the Super Six stage of the World Cup qualifiers. It's glory for Scotland, who got their first win against Windies in ODIs, but it's agony for the Caribbean side, who are missing out on a significant multi-national tournament for the first time in their history.

The West Indies had lost earlier this week to Zimbabwe and the Netherlands, and a determined Scotland team thrashed them comprehensively by seven wickets on Saturday, July 1 to knock the former champions out of the mega event. Champions in 1975 and 1979, West Indies were once a dominant force across formats but now find themselves in a tragic situation.

Scotland pacer Brandon McMullan tore through the Windies' top order and set the tone early for his side. Caribbeans fell 30-4 and they never recovered from that point. They further slipped to 81/6 and were eventually bowled out for 181. Jason Holder (45), Romario Shepherd (36), and Nicholas Pooran (26) tried to get them a decent total but were unable to convert them into big scores.

In reply, Scotland faced an early setback when Jason Holder dismissed Chris McBride on the first ball. However, Brandon McMullen and Matthew Cross took charge of punishing loose deliveries and rotating strikes. The pair put up a 125-run stand for the second wicket, scoring half-centuries. They McMullen in the process, but captain Richie Berrington joined Cross to guide Scotland to a historic triumph in Harare. McMullen was named player of the match for his all-round heroics, picking 3 wickets and scoring 69 runs.

'There isn’t further low to sink from here': Virender Sehwag reacts to West Indies' tragic exit 

Former cricketers and fans expressed their disappointment with the West Indies after their humiliating defeat against Scotland that saw them exit the World Cup. "What a shame. West Indies fail to qualify for the World Cup. It just shows talent alone isn’t enough, needs focus and good man management, free from politics. The only solace is there isn’t further low to sink from here," former India opener Virender Sehwag tweeted.

"Such a shame that West Indies won't be there at the World Cup.. Caribbean cricket has officially hit rock bottom. But when you hit rock bottom, the only way is up," former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer wrote.

Here's how fans reacted:

West Indies World CUP 2023