West Indies cricket urged to unite and rise again as CWI echoes Prime Minister Mottley’s powerful vision
Cricket West Indies (CWI) has strongly endorsed the rousing call to action delivered by Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley during the 2025 CWI and WIPA Awards Gala, held June 22 in Barbados.
Prime Minister Mottley emphasized the need for regional unity, governance reform, and purpose-driven development to restore West Indies cricket to global prominence. Her remarks were met with widespread acclaim across the cricketing community.
“We can find the peak again” — Mottley invokes 1975 legacy
Referencing the triumph of the 1975 World Cup-winning West Indies team, which was honored during the evening, Prime Minister Mottley said:
“Just as every mountain peak has valleys, we can find the peak again… The joy of that 1975 team spread through the region then, it will spread again.”
Drawing on Rudyard Kipling’s poem ‘IF’, Mottley called for resilience and discipline in adversity:
“If we can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two imposters just the same… then we will be defined not just on the field, but in all that we do.”
Grassroots development and population realities
Mottley underscored the urgent need to maximize talent from across the Caribbean, especially given the region’s small population compared to other cricketing nations.
“Only New Zealand has a comparable population. If we’re not digging deep into our communities to find talent, then something must be fundamentally wrong,” she stated.
CARICOM backs West Indies cricket’s Olympic push
Speaking as Chair of CARICOM, Mottley pledged full regional support for West Indies cricket’s inclusion in the LA 2028 Olympic Games, and emphasized the significance of the sport’s centenary in 2028.
“We have to summon the will to pull together regionally and defend our right to the integrity of West Indies cricket… Let us remind the world why we rally and rally and rally.”
Inspiration for players: “How you rise matters most”
In a direct message to the players, she urged both male and female cricketers to embrace adversity as part of the journey:
“It’s not where you stand, but how you rise… If you can get up and play the next shot, then I believe we will rise to the top again.”
CWI’s commitment to unity and reform
CWI echoed Prime Minister Mottley’s sentiments, reaffirming its commitment to strong governance, legacy preservation, and future-focused development across the Caribbean.
“We remain committed to honouring our past while actively building a vibrant future—driven by purpose, guided by governance, and powered by the resilient spirit of our people,” CWI said in an official statement.
As the region approaches a pivotal milestone—100 years of West Indies cricket in 2028—and Olympic inclusion looms, this call for unity may become a defining moment for a new era of West Indies cricket.
Stay connected to Cricexec.com for continuing coverage on West Indies cricket reform, Olympic ambitions, and grassroots development efforts across the Caribbean.
