3 weeks ago
Why West Indies cricket fell: economics of the decline
The West Indies cricket team is made up of players from many small islands in the Caribbean Sea.
A long time ago, in the 1970s and 1980s, they were the best team in the world, winning the first two Cricket World Cups.
Today, the team has to play extra qualifying games just to try to get into the World Cup.
One big reason is money: because the Caribbean is not one big country, less money comes into cricket than in places like India, England and Australia.
Another reason is new short T20 leagues like the IPL, where players can earn a lot of money in a short time.
Many players now pick these leagues instead of long national tours, so the national team loses some of its best players.
Famous stars of the past, like Vivian Richards, Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding, Brian Lara and Clive Lloyd, were not replaced by enough new talent.
The West Indies are still excellent at T20 cricket and won the T20 World Cup in 2012 and 2016.
But Test and ODI cricket need a whole deep team, not just a few individual stars.
The article says the answer is to build a stronger cricket system and economy, not just find new superstar players.
The Caribbean side won the first two men's World Cups (1975 and 1979) and went 27 consecutive Test series without defeat from 1980 to 1995.
The West Indies missed direct qualification for the ODI World Cup 2027 and face the qualifying route for a third successive cycle, having also missed the 2023 tournament after losing to Scotland.
Cricket West Indies revenue fell from about $88.4 million in FY2024, boosted by the men's T20 World Cup, to about $40.9 million in FY2025, with a $28,531,921 comprehensive loss.
The rise of T20 franchise leagues — such as the Indian Premier League, Caribbean Premier League, Big Bash League, Pakistan Super League and The Hundred — created new income options for players like Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine and Kieron Pollard.
The West Indies won the men's T20 World Cup in 2012 and 2016, the first team to win it twice, but the article says T20 success has not produced a strong Test or ODI system.
- Who
- The West Indies cricket team and its governing body, Cricket West Indies (CWI).
- What
- The Caribbean side missed direct qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup, and the article analyses the economics and structure behind the team's long decline from its 1970s–90s dominance.
- Where
- The Caribbean region; the 2023 qualifying defeat to Scotland ended the team's hopes of reaching that World Cup in India.
- When
- In the context of the 2027 qualification cycle, with financial figures from the 2024 and 2025 financial years and history reviewed from 1975 through 1995.
- Why
- Because of economic and structural changes: a small and volatile commercial market for CWI, the rise of franchise cricket that altered player incentives, and a weakened domestic pipeline that no longer produces deep talent.
Structural economics view
Cricket traditionalists' view
Cause of the on-field decline
Structural economics view
The decline is structural: a small commercial market, volatile board finances, a weakened domestic pipeline and a franchise economy that changed players' incentives — talent has not disappeared, the pathway has weakened.
Cricket traditionalists' view
From a cricket point of view, the quality of batsmanship deteriorated, a leadership crisis began once Clive Lloyd vacated the hot seat, and the fearsome pace battery lost its impact over time.
Role of franchise money
Structural economics view
Players did not simply choose money over country; franchise cricket offered shorter, more predictable commercial opportunities, while international cricket demanded long tours and the greatest time commitment.
Cricket traditionalists' view
The lure of money from big-spending franchises in the IPL was hugely responsible for the downfall of West Indian cricket, and cricket lost its 'purity' in the West Indies.
Key facts
- Governing body
- Cricket West Indies (CWI)
- Men's World Cup record
- Won 1975 and 1979; reached the final in 1983
- Unbeaten Test run
- 27 consecutive Test series without defeat (1980–1995)
- FY2024 revenue
- About $88.4 million, boosted by the men's T20 World Cup (about $39 million, ~44%)
- FY2025 revenue
- About $40.9 million; ICC distributions fell from $46.7 million to $22.5 million
- FY2025 comprehensive loss
- $28,531,921
- T20 World Cup titles
- Won in 2012 and 2016, the first team to win twice
- 2027 ODI World Cup
- Missed direct qualification; must use the qualifying route for a third straight cycle
Quotes
Soumitro Bose
Senior sports journalist
““For someone who grew up watching the Caribbeans since the late seventies and eighties, the West Indians disintegrated over a period of time. The leadership crisis started once Clive Lloyd vacated the hot seat and the fearsome pace battery led by Roberts, Marshal, Holding, Ambrose and Walsh lost its impact. From a cricket point of view, the quality of batsmanship deteriorated over time,””
financialexpress.com
Sources
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