The two-time champion West Indies will have to overcome tempestuous weather and their own turbulent form to beat the United Arab Emirates on Sunday if they are to advance to the quarterfinals of the World Cup. The West Indies must win their final match at Mclean Park to keep their chances of qualifying alive, then watch the match between Pakistan and Ireland in Adelaide later in the day to see if their efforts have been enough.
The weather may be a greater threat to their quarterfinal prospects than the UAE squad, which is without a win from five games. Tropical Cycling Pam is bearing down on New Zealand and rain is forecast on Sunday, threatening a washout which would leave the Windies one point outside the top four. “Obviously we just need to win this game,” West Indies captain Jason Holder said. “The weather is beyond our control and we need to control what we can control, that’s the game.”
Holder said key batsman Chris Gayle, who has the tournament’s top score of 215 but has been troubled by a back injury, would be fit to play Sunday and the West Indies will be at full strength. The young captain, whose leadership has been tested by his team’s fluctuating form, said the do-or-die contest in the West Indies’ final pool match was not ideal, but the team could build confidence with a commanding win. It will help the Windies’ chances of qualifying if the squad can win quickly Sunday and improve its net run-rate.