Saint John's [Antigua and Barbuda], July 12 (ANI): Cricket West Indies (CWI) stood in full alignment with the powerful call to action issued by Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley, during her stirring address at the CWI and the West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) Awards Gala held in Barbados, an official statement from the CWI said. Her message to the region was clear: the time has come to confront longstanding challenges in governance, investment, and purpose, and to reignite the fighting spirit that once made West Indies cricket the envy of the world.

Drawing a direct comparison between the current landscape of West Indies cricket and the heroic triumph of the 1975 World Cup team - the members of which were honoured during the ceremony - Prime Minister Mottley called on the region to summon that same determination to rise again. 'Just as every mountain peak has valleys, we can find the peak again,' she said. 'As sure that the joy of that 1975 team spread through the region then, it will spread through this region again.'

Quoting the words of legendary Victorian Poet, Rudyard Kipling, author of the poem 'IF' she said ''If we can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two imposters the same', that will define us, not just on the field, but in all that we do.'

The Barbadian leader referenced this piece of writing as a great lesson in how to approach life, citing additional exerts - ''If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or walk with Kings - nor loose the common touch...If you can make one heap of all your winnings and risk it in on one turn of pitch-and-toss, and lose, and start again at your beginnings and never breathe a word about your loss'. What I am really saying is that we have a responsibility as leaders, as people of the Caribbean, to ensure that those who walk the path to bring honour and glory to us, are given every opportunity to be the best that they can be.'

She underscored the importance of grassroots development and the urgent need to harness the full breadth of regional talent. 'In test cricket, only New Zealand has a population approximate to us, all the other nations have a bigger pool from which to draw their talent. So, if we have a small population and are not maximizing it to the extent where we dig deep into our communities to draw out the talent, then something must be fundamentally wrong with us.' she asserted.

Speaking then as Chair of CARICOM, Prime Minister Mottley pledged regional support for the continued representation of West Indies cricket on the global stage, particularly regarding cricket's re-entry into the 2028 Olympic Games. 'We have already been made a victim of too many instances of poor negotiating. We have now to summon the will to pull the best that we can muster regionally, to make the case for defending our right to retain the integrity of West Indian cricket, which will celebrate 100 years in 2028' she said. 'Let us remind the world why these people in these islands continue to rally, and rally, and rally.'

In speaking directly to the players in attendance, as well as those across the region, she issued a challenge for them to take the lead. 'I want the players, male and female, to know that it is not where you stand, but it is always how you rise when adversity hits you, and the way you get up and play the next shot. If you can do that for us, then I believe honestly, that we will rise to the top again.' Cricket West Indies remains committed to honouring the legacy of the past while actively working toward a vibrant and united future for West Indies cricket--one driven by purpose, guided by governance, and powered by the resilient spirit of our people.(ANI)