PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – With Cricket West Indies (CWI) elections fast approaching, Vice President Azim Bassarath has exuded unwavering confidence in both himself and President Dr. Kishore Shallow, stating they have more than justified another term at the helm of regional cricket.
While neither leader has officially confirmed their candidacy, the nomination deadline on Wednesday looms large ahead of the March 29 elections at CWI’s headquarters in Antigua. Yet, despite the uncertainty, Bassarath remains steadfast in his belief that their track record of progress and reform makes them the indisputable choice for continued leadership.
Unfazed by potential challengers
Speaking in a recent interview on I95.5 FM, Bassarath dismissed the notion of serious opposition, reinforcing his ironclad confidence in securing another term.
“Well, anything can happen between now and Wednesday,” he remarked. “Yes, people may want to serve, and there is nothing wrong with people putting up their name. It is a democratic organization.
“I don’t foresee challengers, but, if there are challengers, and if we decide to put up our names, it doesn’t matter to us really if challengers do come forward,” he added, oozing conviction in the current administration’s strength.
“I think that if I and Dr. Shallow, if we decide to go, then both of us are going to be victorious at the polls.”
A new era of progress
Bassarath was quick to highlight the significant strides made during their tenure, emphasizing the marked improvement in the West Indies cricketing fortunes since taking charge in March 2023.
“It is there to be seen,” he declared. “When we took over in 2023, we were languishing in eighth or ninth in the T20 rankings, and we have moved up. At one stage, we were third on the ICC ratings and now we are fourth in T20 cricket.”
He also acknowledged the team’s commendable performances in the One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Test matches, conceding that while more series wins were desirable, there was undeniable progress.
“… The ODIs, we did pretty well. We would not have won as many series as we would have liked,” he admitted. “And, in the Test format, we would have drawn the last series against Pakistan, drawn the series with Bangladesh, and, in 2023, when we played against England, we would have won that series.”
Looking ahead to the future
With the election clock ticking, all eyes now turn to whether Bassarath and Shallow will formally declare their candidacy. If they do, the duo appears poised for another term, armed with a solid résumé of accomplishments and an unwavering belief in their vision for West Indies cricket.
Come March 29, will the territorial boards reaffirm their leadership? If Bassarath’s confidence is any indication, the answer already seems clear.
 elections approaching, Vice President Azim Bassarath has exuded unwavering confidence in himself.){kind=link}