‘Cricket is our soul’: President Ali defends West Indies pride

When President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali sat down with Alastair Campbell for the globally acclaimed ‘The Rest is Politics: Leading‘ podcast, the conversation meandered from global development to biodiversity. But it was the final stretch – cricket – that turned into an impassioned masterclass on history, identity, and West Indian pride.

Campbell, a die-hard cricket fan himself, recalled bunking school to watch West Indian greats like Clive Lloyd and Lance Gibbs. But his nostalgia quickly gave way to a blunt question: What happened to West Indies cricket?

With a smile and a spark in his eye, President Ali leaned in.

“West Indies is not short on talent. We are short on talent development and management. The board needs to take responsibility, and the system has failed us. We were so good, too good, that we believed we didn’t need to invest in developing the talent. That was our mistake,” he said firmly.

The president argued that the world’s cricketing powers tilted the game against the West Indies.

“When we had the best fast bowling in the world and no one could face our attack, they changed the rules. The system gave us a major blow, because they could not withstand the pace of our bowlers.”

The names flowed like a scoreboard from a bygone era: Michael Atherton, Graham Gooch, Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh, Malcolm Marshall. President Ali recalled the bruises foreign batsmen carried as badges of honour after facing the West Indian quicks. He mourned the loss of fast, fiery pitches, now replaced by surfaces favouring spin.

But his words were not a lament; far from it, they were meant to be a call to arms. The president’s tone lifted as he insisted West Indies cricket remains rich in raw ability, even if mismanaged. He pointed out that when the region brought unrivalled flair and entertainment to the sport, it was the West Indies who built the global cricket market “when it was very small.”

Then the president outlined the sharp edge of modern geopolitics in cricket:

“India, who suffered colonisation, is now using cricket to colonise the world. They control the business ecosystem around the game but deny others the same opportunity. The West Indies cannot be excluded.”

The head of state reminded listeners that Guyana itself, a “small, developing nation on the rise,” had already stepped up, investing to launch the Global Super League after the Champions League was abandoned. And yet, without consultation, bigger boards were plotting to bring the Champions League back. “How fair is that?” he asked.

For President Ali, cricket is not just a sport. It is the West Indian’s soul.

“When we were fighting for recognition in the world as a region, it was cricket that gave us that branding, that identity. These greats, Clive Lloyd, Rohan Kanhai, Garry Sobers… shaped who we are as a people. Cricket gave us tourism, pride, and belonging.”

Campbell soaked it up, evidently charmed by the president’s passion, quipped that Ali was perhaps even more fired up about cricket than biodiversity. The President laughed but didn’t retreat:

“Cricket has given us too much for us not to be passionate about it.”

By the end, Campbell admitted he wanted to set up President Ali with a British cricket podcast, Tailenders, hosted by DJ Greg James, England bowler James Anderson, and musician Felix White. “They would love to talk to you,” Campbell said. The president nodded approvingly.