T20 World Cup 2021: "We have played some poor cricket" - Clive Lloyd expresses disappointment over West Indies' tactics

Clive Lloyd was wearing green and not maroon to start with for West Indies' match against South Africa. And when asked, he answered with a big smile. “I hope not wearing maroon changes our luck!”.

No, his luck did not change as the West Indies put on yet another meek performance, and are staring at an early exit from the T20 World Cup 2021. With a team full of match winners and franchise stars of the calibre of Andre Russell and Kieron Pollard, it is baffling to see them not stand up to the World Cup test.

And unsurprisingly, Clive Lloyd is hugely disappointed as was evident in this exclusive interview with Sportskeeda.

Boria: Clive, things are just not going the West Indies way?

Clive: No they are not. We have played some poor cricket. We should have scored 165 against South Africa to be able to challenge them. Yet again some poor shots at the wrong time cost us dear. The first match was dismal and one would have thought we would pick ourselves up in the next game but that too did not happen. Now we have to win all we can and hope some other results go our way to have a chance in the World Cup. Frankly, as defending champions, this was a very ordinary performance.

See the latest T20 World Cup standings here.

Boria: So what do you think went wrong?

Clive: Everything (laughs). You see you have to take a lot of pride when you play for the national team. You are the select few who get this opportunity. And when it is the World Cup it is about that ultimate mantle. World Champion. You can hold that trophy and tell the world that you are the best team in the world. The entire world. That’s why you play this sport and we played this sport.

It is more than life and death you see. I want these boys to believe they too can experience this. Be a world champion. Unless that happens you will fall short. The hunger has to be of a very different level. That’s what brings out the best in you. That’s when you fight for the last run and the last ball. Nothing else matters and nothing should matter to these boys except the dream of becoming world champion. No pain, no injury, nothing. Just pursue this dream. We have made basic mistakes in both games. When you have hit two boundaries you don’t need to play another fancy shot in the next ball. Just do the basics right. That’s what has been lacking.

After being handed two thrashings, first against England (6-wicket loss) and then to South Africa (8-wicket loss), West Indies face the uphill task of staying in contention for a semifinal spot in the T20 World Cup 2021.