Getty Evin Lewis needs a big match to help the West Indies win at the T20 World Cup.
Two-time T20 Cricket World Cup winners the West Indies find themselves in an unusual position at the 2022 edition of the tournament. The Windies will play qualifiers in Group B having failed to earn a direct route into the competition’s bracket, following an indifferent showing at the 2021 World Cup.
Scotland are the first opponents in those qualifiers, and the Windies have a few things to sort out before they can be taken seriously this year. Specifically, a bowling attack a little too generous allowing runs, along with a batting lineup missing a key middle-order hitter.
The Scots are more settled, despite falling short at the Super 12 stage last year. This is a squad with talent and most of it comes from new captain Richie Berrington, a stylish and capable presence in front of the wicket.
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In the United States, the match (midnight ET start time) isn’t on TV, but anyone in the US can watch West Indies vs Scotland live on ESPN+ right here:
With ESPN+, you’ll be able to stream every single match of the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup. It also includes dozens of different live sports, every 30-for-30 documentary and additional original content (both video and written) all for $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year (or $13.99 per month for a bundle of all three of ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu).
Once signed up for ESPN+, you can watch West Indies vs Scotland live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com.
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West Indies vs Scotland Preview
Perhaps the main concern regarding this West Indies team lies among the bowlers. Pacers Sheldon Cottrell and Obed McCoy are allowing economy rates that are too high, according to Sportskeeda’s Meit Sampat: “Cottrell in 2022 has an economy rate of 8.32 in 8 T20I matches. McCoy too has struggled to control the flow of runs, especially in death overs, and has a disappointing economy rate of 9.44 from 11 T20Is this year.”
Those are numbers sure to give Berrington confidence after the 35-year-old made history for Scotland with the bat last year, per CricTracker:
Richie Berrington is the first Scotland batsman to score a fifty in the T20 World Cups.
#T20WorldCup #Scotland #PapuaNewGuinea #SCOvPNG #RichieBerrington
Berrington’s 177 runs powered Scotland into the Super 12s, but he’ll need more support this time. Help should come from George Munsey, a clever left-hander who has posted seven 50s in T20 internationals.
Scotland’s talent with the bat should concern a West Indies team set to be without Shimron Hetmyer. The 25-year-old paid the price for missing his flight to the tournament, but Amarnath Devaji of ICC.com says Hetmyer’s omission “leaves a gaping hole in the middle order.”
Any weakness in the lineup is compounded by no longer being able to call upon Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard. It means more will be expected of Evin Lewis, who can be a heavy hitter when he finds his form.
The Windies’ affinity for the white-ball format can no longer be taken for granted. This is a squad with damaging deficiencies in key areas, weaknesses Scotland will exploit if Berrington and Munsey get into their stride early.