"ICC, Why?" Viv Richards' Stunning Take On India's Champions Trophy 2025 'Venue Advantage' Row

Not knowing if they would be playing their Champions Trophy semifinal in Dubai or in Lahore, both Australia and South Africa travelled to the UAE in anticipation as their opponent will be decided after the outcome of the India-New Zealand contest.

"Annoyed" and "hurt" with the absence of West Indies in the Champions Trophy, the legendary Sir Vivian Richards wants the Caribbean side to take a leaf out of Afghanistan's book to re-establish themselves as a force in world cricket. West Indies and Sri Lanka, the two former ODI World Cup and Champions Trophy winning sides, failed to make the cut for the eight-team event being played in Pakistan and Dubai. "I'm just hoping that my West Indies team can take a leaf out of these guys' book, because there is a passion and energy that the Afghanis have brought to the game," Richards, who is the governing council member of the International Masters League, told media on Sunday.

"They haven't been in the cricket world for so long as maybe some other teams around the world, but just their fighting spirit. To me, the ability to learn as the years go by, that would have given them the experience that's needed in order for them to be where they're at," he said in a virtual interaction.

“When you can see Afghanistan in the Champions League, and the West Indies not, it means that Afghanistan is doing something right,” he said.

Considered gritty minnows not long ago, Afghanistan have now become a decent force in the Asian region on the back of some consistent showing.

Richards said West Indies will need efforts from everyone involved, not just the players, to improve. Apart from missing the ongoing Champions Trophy, the West Indies had also not taken part in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.