MUMBAI: "For 10 long years," the speakers at the Wankhede system sang, "we ruled the cricket world." Ever since West Indies, a collection of countries who come together for cricket, adopted David Rudder's Rally Round The West Indies in the 90s, a jolly calypso number, it's been the team's call to arms before matches.
And so shortly before 7.00 PM on a warm February evening in Mumbai, the crowd stood at attention when Rudder's number bounced off the Stadium's famous walls and pillars. When they were in India in October for a Test series, they had to wheel out their legends. Brian Lara and Vivian Richards were involved in initiatives to raise money. Their officials even met an Indian broadcaster. Daren Sammy had to remind the world that West Indies travelled the world when people wanted to see the team in the flesh. "I think all what we ask for, we deserve," the coach had said.
On nights like Monday, it wasn't hard to wonder what all they could have done, what all they could have achieved if the game's finances were more evenly distributed. That disparity, though, has made them into a really strong and united group, a band of brothers who are beginning to dream again. Dreaming of becoming three-time World Cup champions.
Against Zimbabwe, they brought all the noise and lit up the Wankhede with a power-packed batting performance. Following a record-breaking, six-hitting masterclass, their bowlers ensured the Men In Maroon picked up a vital NRR boost. What this win has done, at the very least, is make that India clash in Eden Gardens a 40-overs shoot-off for a spot in the semifinals.
The primary man responsible for them scoring 254 on a highway of a strip was Shimron Hetmyer. The southpaw has the rare capacity of making things happen even when he's not there. Think of him as the Mario Balotelli of world cricket. No stranger to controversy but somebody very clearly talented but also remembered for some silliness.
He was ejected from the 2022 World Cup squad because he missed two connecting flights to Australia. "Actions have consequences," said Cricket West Indies when they made their displeasure felt in the harshest terms. In 2024, he made the squad but didn't feature.
In 2026, he's making up for lost time. After only reaching Kolkata a day before the opener because of a visa-related issue, he scored a 50. That followed a breezy, unbeaten 46 against Nepal in Mumbai last Sunday. That, though, was the appetiser.
The main course -- on an unsuspecting Zimbabwean bowling attack -- will be remembered by the many thousands who were in attendance. At one point of time, he went 6 6 6 0 6 wide 6. Six legal balls, 30 runs, five sixes. Good night.
It was brutal but minimalistic hitting off the two spinners, Graeme Cremer and Sikandar Raza. Both the spinners were either too full or a touch on the shorter side and Hetmyer would go down and swipe across the line as targeted the V both sides of square on the leg-side. And each time the ball went soaring into the night sky before gravity brought it back well beyond the boundary ropes. The spinners helped him as there wasn't any concerted effort to bowl wide outside off. That Zimbabwe also dropped him twice compounded matters.
Hetmyer becoming a six-hitter against spin is promising for many reasons because it makes them genuine contenders. Credit must also go to him because the No. 3 position was waiting to be filled after Nicholas Pooran's shock resignation. West Indies tried other batters including all-rounder Matthew Forde in a series in South Africa just before the World Cup. When that didn't work out (Forde scored 16 off 12), the team management gave the gig to Hetmyer as long as he was okay with it. The 29-year-old from Guyana, whose entry points in the Indian Premier League has frequently been after the 15th over, decided to have a crack at it.
A 42-ball 75 followed in the very next game against Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Anrich Nortje and Keshav Maharaj. Post that match, Sammy took his diary and listed Hetmyer as his No. 3 at the World Cup.
And he has already delivered on some of the potential he showed that night at Centurion. If he can do the same thing in Ahmedabad and/or Kolkata, Hetmyer will have already had a World Cup to remember.
Towards the end of their battle song, Rudder is hopeful of a better tomorrow.
"Pretty soon the runs are gonna flow again like water
Bringing so much joy to each and every son and daughter..."
Hetmyer certainly did that to every son and daughter who came to the Wankhede on Monday.
Brief scores: West Indies 254/6 in 20 ovs (Hetmyer 85, Powell 59, Rutherford 31 n.o) bt Zimbabwe 147 in 17.4 ovs (Evans 43, Myers 28; Motie 4/28, Hosein 3/28).