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West Indies cricket legend Vivian Richards has urged his national team to take inspiration from Afghanistan's rise in world cricket, highlighting their passion, energy, and determination.
His comments come as West Indies cricket continues to struggle, having missed out on both the 2023 ODI World Cup and now the Champions Trophy. Once a dominant force in the sport, the team has faced setbacks due to inconsistency. On the other hand, Afghanistan has been on the rise, putting up one surprising performance after the other, having beaten Pakistan, New Zealand, and Australia within the last 2 years. Continuing its recent trend, it again shocked England in the ongoing Champions Trophy defeating them by 8 runs, ending the team's campaign in the tournament. Speaking about Afghanistan's qualification for the Champions Trophy while West Indies missed out, Richards, who is also the International Masters League (IML) Governing Council member, praised the Afghan team for their relentless spirit and rapid growth in international cricket. "I'm just hoping that my West Indies team can take a leaf out of these guys' book," Richards said in a media interaction by IML. "There is a passion and energy that the Afghanis would have brought to the game in itself. They've only been playing cricket, they haven't been in the cricket world for so long, as maybe some other teams around the world but just their fighting spirit," he added. Richards emphasized that Afghanistan's journey serves as proof that progress comes from hard work, adaptability, and the right mindset. "The ability to learn as the years go by has given them the experience they need to be where they are now and when you see Afghanistan in the Champions Trophy while the West Indies are not, it means Afghanistan is doing something right," he added. (ANI)
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