Former captains Faf du Plessis and Anil Kumble believe West Indies failed to maximise their biggest strength in their must win Super Eight clash against India, suggesting they “played it safe” in key phases of the innings.
West Indies posted 195 for 4 at Eden Gardens, but India chased it down to seal a semi final berth. Du Plessis argued that if West Indies acknowledge a relative weakness in bowling compared to India, then their batting must compensate by pushing beyond par totals.
“When your strength lies in your batting, you know you have to out bat the opposition,” Du Plessis said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show. “To beat India, you have to do a little bit more.”
He pointed specifically to Shai Hope’s 32 off 33 balls during the powerplay and middle overs, suggesting the tempo stalled after a solid foundation of 45 without loss. While the middle order added 163 in 14.3 overs, Du Plessis felt West Indies should have aimed for 220 or more, especially given the chasing conditions and potential dew.
Kumble echoed that sentiment, saying teams batting first in T20 cricket are better served using all their resources. “You’re better off scoring 196 for 9 than 195 for 4,” he said, urging greater risk even at the cost of wickets.
Both analysts also noted that India were never forced to use a sixth bowling option, an area of concern coming into the match. By not aggressively targeting India’s main five bowlers and exploiting match ups, particularly against Axar Patel, West Indies allowed India to stay tactically comfortable.
Against a side like India, they concluded, par is rarely enough.