'They can only blame themselves' - Shreevats Goswami's massive statement on West Indies amid 2nd ODI vs India
Former India wicketkeeper Shreevats Goswami called out West Indies for failing to secure automatic qualification for the 2027 ODI World Cup despite their batting talent.
West Indies posted 405/7 in 50 overs against India in the day-night 2nd ODI at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati on September 30, 2026, crossing the 400-run mark for the first time in their ODI history. The historic total featured centuries from three batters in the same innings, yet the performance arrived against the backdrop of a qualification picture that has drawn pointed criticism from an U-19 World Cup winner.
Shreevats Goswami took to X to express his reaction, combining disappointment with a measure of sympathy for the Caribbean side. He noted that West Indies, in spite of the batting talent clearly on show, had not earned a direct berth in the 2027 ODI World Cup and would now need to navigate the qualifying rounds simply to reach the main tournament.
"Such a shame that this West Indies team with this much talent hasn’t automatically qualified for the 2027 ODI World Cup. They can only blame themselves. They now have to go through the qualifiers just to make it to the tournament. Hope they make it through," Goswami wrote on X.
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5How did West Indies bat in the 2nd ODI against India?
West Indies put together a batting effort that rewrote their own ODI record books at Barsapara Cricket Stadium on September 30, 2026. Their total of 405/7 in 50 overs was the first occasion any West Indies side had surpassed 400 runs in the format.
Three batters reached three figures in the same innings. John Campbell, Shai Hope and Amir Jangoo all scored centuries, making it a collective effort spread across the top and middle order. Hope's contribution was 104 runs off 94 balls. Meanwhile, Campbell and Jangoo contributed 101 (68) and 114 (77), respectively.
The 2nd ODI came after India had won the opening match of the series in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27, 2026. Virat Kohli struck an unbeaten 139 in that game, while Shubman Gill also reached three figures as India set the tone for the series with an eight-wicket win.
Goswami's post highlighted the contrast between the team's evident batting capability and the broader results that determined their standing. A side capable of posting 405 in 50 overs, a total no West Indies team had ever reached before, will still need to win through the qualifying rounds before they can appear at the 2027 edition.
The cricketer-turned-expert closed his message by expressing hope that West Indies would come through the qualifiers and reach the main tournament, a sentiment that underlined the frustration many observers feel about the gap between the team's potential and their ODI record over the qualification period.
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