After a turbulent opening to the 2024 West Indies Championship, Barbados Pride have defied early setbacks to punch their ticket to the tournament’s playoff round, with team management and leadership crediting the squad’s unwavering tenacity for their comeback.
Last year’s tournament runners-up got off to a discouraging start, dropping their opening fixture to the Jamaica Scorpions in their three-match bilateral series. But the side bounced back in dramatic fashion: they secured a draw in the second encounter before delivering a dominant innings-and-11-run victory over the Scorpions at Kingston’s Sabina Park on Wednesday, a result that locked in their playoff berth.
In an interview with local media outlet Barbados TODAY following the decisive win, team manager Colin Bowen explained that the squad never lost confidence even after their opening loss, maintaining strong team morale through the entire series. “Jamaica has produced some explosive opening partnerships across this tournament – they’ve notched two 200-run stands and another close to 100,” Bowen noted. “But in this decisive innings, we managed to remove their opening pair very early, which is exactly the strategy we’d banked on to break through their batting lineup.”
While Barbados Pride’s batters have turned in consistent standout performances throughout the competition, Bowen emphasized that the bowling unit was the driving force behind the lopsided final win. He explained that playing surfaces at Jamaican venues have offered consistent, batting-friendly conditions throughout the championship, forcing bowlers to put in long, grueling shifts to gain an edge. It was only in an afternoon session on the final day of the third match that the pitch finally developed enough turn and bounce to let Barbados Pride’s bowlers take control, Bowen added, noting the surface reverted to its slow, docile state the following day.
Up next, the side will travel to Antigua to face Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in a playoff clash on May 10, with the winner advancing to the championship final to take on defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles. Though all other participating teams have already played a match in Antigua this tournament – giving them prior experience of the local playing surfaces – Bowen said the squad does not view this as a major disadvantage.
“We don’t see that as a significant edge for our opponents,” he said. “We’ve always held the belief that no matter where we play, if we perform to the best of our abilities, we can get the result we want.” Bowen added that the squad has avoided any major injury concerns through the competition so far, with the team’s physiotherapist and trainer successfully managing minor muscle and joint issues. The week-long break before the playoff will be used to address any lingering discomforts and get the full squad fully fit for the knockout round.
Team captain Kraigg Brathwaite echoed Bowen’s confidence, praising his players for their relentless effort and never-say-die attitude that turned the series around. “I’m incredibly proud of this group,” Brathwaite said. “We put in solid work starting from the second match, claiming first innings points even after Jamaica posted a huge total, and pulling off this win in the final game is a fantastic effort from everyone.”