Windies get mixed reviews for T20 World Cup - Murray gives passing grade, Wallace blasts ‘flat’ performance

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados:

The curtain has fallen on the West Indies' campaign at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, and back home in the Caribbean, the assessment of the team's showing is proving to be a classic case of good cop, bad cop.

While legendary West Indies wicketkeeper Deryck Murray has handed the squad a passing grade for their efforts, former opening batsman Philo Wallace has delivered a far sterner verdict, particularly lambasting the team's bowling in their crucial defeat to India.

Speaking on the Mason and Guest radio talk show earlier this week in the aftermath of the team's exit, Murray sought to highlight the positives, insisting the team competed with honour and did not embarrass the maroon cap.

"We were not in any way disgraced, and we did a good job, particularly in the last game," Murray stated.

The Trinidadian pointed to the team's fight and belief as key takeaways.

"I just looked at the way they approached the game, as they actually thought they could win, and they tried their best under the circumstances."

For Murray, the spirit and intent shown by Shai Hope's men, even in defeat, was enough to warrant a satisfactory mark.

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However, that sentiment is not shared by former Test opener Philo Wallace, who watched the same campaign and saw a team failing to meet the required standard when it mattered most.

Wallace was particularly scathing of the bowling attack's display in the side's defeat to India, a loss that effectively ended their semi-final hopes.

Wallace argued that the benchmark for success against top-tier nations requires a significant step-up in intensity, something he felt was sorely lacking with the ball.

"When you come up against a side like India, you have to put in the extra effort to get to beat them. I didn't see it at all in our bowling. We were too flat and too predictable at times," Wallace said, with clear frustration.

The former opener didn't hold back in his critique of the tactics used, specifically pointing to the handling of fast-bowler Shamar Joseph.

"When you look at Shamar Joseph, he went around the park. I thought he should have been utilised a bit better," Wallace explained.

He proposed a more aggressive and thoughtful deployment of the paceman, who troubled batters with his pace earlier in the tournament.

"We could have used him in the power play and give him a crack with that new ball, and use Akeal Hosein at four."

Wallace's comments reflect a school of thought that believes the team's management played it too safe, failing to maximise their weapons against a world-class batting line-up.

- CMC