The past few weeks have brought interesting developments for West Indies cricket, both on and off the field. On the field, a recently completed white-ball tour of India produced somewhat unexpectedly encouraging results. Almost simultaneously, however, in the administrative boardrooms, Cricket West Indies (CWI) CEO Chris Dehring was busily delivering an eyebrow-raising September 24 televised Stakeholders address. His comments cast a foreboding shadow over the future sustainability of West Indies cricket.
And as if that wasn’t breadfruit-big enough for West Indies cricket fans and followers to chew on, let alone digest, St Vincent is also scheduled to host the 2026 Global T20 Canada (GT20) tournament. This raised further questions over the ongoing conflict-of-interest controversy surrounding Dr Kishore Shallow’s current dual role as CWI President and St Vincent’s Minister of Tourism!
Contrary to almost everyone’s expectations, the West Indies only lost 1-2 to their Indian hosts in the three-match One Day International (ODI) series. The outcome of the five–match T20I series that followed was even better. The series was tied at 2-2 before persistent rain eventually produced a No Result in the deciding fifth and final encounter.
As encouraging as the results were, they were further enhanced by some brilliant West Indies players’ individual performances. Most notably those of West Indies white-ball captain Shai Hope. Leading from the front, Hope scored 278 runs in the three ODI matches at an outstanding average of 139.00!
John Campbell and Amir Jangoo also delivered highly encouraging, century-inclusive returns as the West Indies’ number two and three batters. Campbell scored 173 runs at a commendable average of 57.66 from three innings. Jangoo was even better. He scored 239 runs, including one century, at an average of 119.50
Such outstandingly encouraging performances would have boosted West Indies team spirits ahead of its participation in next February’s International Cricket Council (ICC) 2027 ODI World Cup Qualifier. Only the top two teams will go on to participate in the October 2 – November 2027 South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia jointly hosted ICC ODI World Cup.
Hope was even more phenomenal in the four T20Is played. Compiling two centuries and one half-century en route to a series-leading 261 runs, scored at an average of 130.50 and an astonishing strike rate of 190.51. Sherfane Rutherford supported him, scoring 221 runs at an average of 73.66 and a strike rate of 188.86.
In contrast to the ODI series, which featured very high scoring on overly batting-friendly pitches from both teams, the West Indies T20I series bowling was far more commendable. Kemo Paul (8), Shamar Springer (7) and Roston Chase (6) were all among the series top wicket-takers. Albeit with less-than-commendable economy rates.
While such encouraging developments were occurring on the field, an entirely different story was unfolding beyond the boundary. In what the former St Vincent Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has subsequently described as ‘a 12-minute avalanche of tightly-scripted management-speak on an unsuspecting cricketing public,’ Dehring’s September 24, 2026 Stakeholder address reported on CWI’s current alarmingly dismal financial status.
Dehring reported that CWI is facing a severe financial crisis, with a projected net loss of US$26 million for 2026. According to Dehring, the crisis has since led to a 25% reduction in players’ compensation, shorter domestic contracts of 7 to 12 months, and the suspension of at least three important regional tournaments. The Men’s Super50, in addition to the Women’s T20Blaze and Super50!
Needless to say, Dehring’s announcement of player wage cuts and shortened, seven-month domestic contracts sparked widespread reaction, mostly uncomplimentary, throughout the region. Foremost among the many questions was whether CWI staff and executives were also facing similar wage cuts.
‘If players are accepting reductions in compensation and the regional cricket calendar is being curtailed, what corresponding sacrifices are being made at the administrative level?’ Asked the VincyPowa News!
According to Dehring, CWI has engaged the international consulting firm Teneo to conduct a full review of the organization’s operations, policies, processes and people. However, most pointedly, Dehring gave no further indication of what savings, if any, are expected from executive and administrative expenditure. Nor was there any indication as to what the actual cost of the external consultancy would be.
In his address, Dehring further indicated that the suspended competitions will be replaced by invitational qualification tournaments for Olympic cricket at Los Angeles 2028, with national boards covering their own participation costs. Dr Ralph Gonsalves rightfully deemed this simply an attempt by Dehring to ‘distract us from the slew of cuts by dangling shiny objects before our eyes, namely, the possibility for gold, silver or bronze medals at the upcoming Pan American Games or the Olympics.
It should also be noted that both the Pan American Games and Olympics cricket tournaments will be of the T20 format. Caribbean participation within which will be for individual territories rather than the West Indies team as a collective!
By abandoning this year’s regional Super50, CWI has thus forsaken an important domestic cog in terms of the West Indies players’ preparation for potential participation in next year’s 2027 ICC World Cup. Which based on the 2023 amounts, will provide a total prize pool for participating teams that will most likely upwards of US$10 million dollars!
Teams that were eliminated in the Group Stage of the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup each Cup pocketed US$100,000, while the eventual winners Australia took home a whopping US$4 million. One would have thought, therefore, that CWI instead of advocating individual territorial Pan Am or Olympic Games glory would have instead focused its efforts on allowing the West Indies team the best possible chance of partaking of the 2027 ICC ODI World Cup’s likely financial spoils!
Dehring has also pointed to the high cost of regional travel, saying CWI has spent more than US$80 million with domestic airlines over the past 15 years. The immediate question is whether CWI has ever explored chartering an aircraft from one of the many regionally associated international airlines for such travel. The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) has apparently done this most successfully for much of its now fourteen-year existence.
Almost immediately after Dehring’s overly controversial Stakeholders address, CWI provided its good news announcement that the October 23 – November 2, 2026 GT20 Canada tournament will be staged in St Vincent. Five Canadian teams—Brampton Blazers, Mississauga Skyhawks, Montreal Warriors, Toronto Kings, and Vancouver Guardians—are scheduled to participate in the 18-match tournament.
Aside from the direct signing and participation of some Caribbean players, it is difficult to see the immediate benefit of such a tournament for the further development of West Indies cricket. Especially against the backdrop of its reported current dire financial circumstances.
Cricket Canada’s then president, Ranjit Saini, created GT20 Canada in 2018 in deference to CPL’s repeated offers to include a Canadian franchise. Saini preferred a locally based T20 tournament that would give more playing exposure to a much wider pool of Canadian cricketers. And, of course, to also enjoy a much greater share of any ensuing television sponsorship revenues!
In subsequent TV interviews, Dehring has indicated that CWI’s plans include a self-owned franchise participating in GT20 annually when it returns to Canada. As is scheduled from 2027 onwards.
The burning question neither Dehring nor any other CWI official has yet addressed, however, is how St Vincent was accorded Caribbean hosting rights for the 2026 GT20 Canada sixteen-match tournament. Were any of CWI’s other regional member territories, Antigua, Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, or even Trinidad & Tobago, to name a few, given the opportunity to bid on hosting the tournament? Or was that island’s acquisition of the hosting rights simply the result of negotiations between Dr Kishore Shallow, in his dual role as CWI President and St Vincent Minister of Tourism, and CT20 Canada officials?
Interesting times indeed. Never a dull moment in West Indies cricket!
About The Writer:
Guyana-born, Canada-based Tony McWatt’s articles on Caribbean and Canadian cricket have now spanned well over thirty years. He is the son of the late former Guyana and West Indies wicket-keeper batsman Clifford “Babyboy” McWatt.
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