DUBBED as favourites before the commencement of the 2012 World Twenty20 tournament, played in Sri Lanka, the West Indies lived up to the billing by defeating their hosts in what eventually turned out to be a one-sided final.

While the victory was a great morale-booster for Darren Sammy and his jovial brand of cricketers who celebrated in true Caribbean style, I was both overjoyed and saddened on that auspicious occasion. To imagine that it was the first time since 1975 that a Guyanese was not included in a regional squad in an International Cricket Council (ICC)-sanctioned limited overs tournament was a bitter pill to swallow.
Lest I be accused of being insular, the purpose of this article is not to criticise the selection of the squad or to question whether or not any Guyanese should have been included but to extol the fact it was the first time in 37 years a Guyanese was overlooked for inclusion in a regional squad.
Still regarded in many circles as the greatest West Indies captain ever, Clive Hubert Lloyd is credited with leading West Indies to two successive World Cup triumphs in 1975 and 1979, both played in England.
Apart from ‘The Supercat’ the other Guyanese in the inaugural Prudential World Cup squad were the late  Roy Fredericks, Rohan Kanhai and Alvin Kallicharran.
Reporting on the final, played at Lord’s against Australia, legendary West Indies cricket writer and commentator Tony Cozier wrote: “Captain Clive Lloyd, a destroyer in spectacles, set up victory in the final virtually on his own – with a little help from Vivian Richards and his fielders.
“His 102 from 85 balls was an exhilarating exhibition of power-hitting that saw West Indies to 291 for eight in their 50 overs. He followed it with a containing spell of medium-pace bowling – 12-1-38-1 – that kept Australia in check as they were dismissed for 274.
Lloyd was again at the helm in 1979 with Kallicharran returning and fast bowler Colin Croft being the other Guyanese.
Led by a superb undefeated 138 from Richards and a robust 86 from Collis King, West Indies reached 286 for nine in their allotted 60 overs, defeating England in the final after the hosts were bowled out for 194 in 51 overs. Croft claimed three for 42.
Dashing right-hander Faoud Bacchus joined Lloyd in 1983 as the other Guyanese as part of the two-time defending champions squad.
Attempting a hat-trick of wins in the final, also played Lord’s, Lloyd and his men were stunned by India, much to the astonishment of their supporters both in England and the Caribbean.
India were bowled out for a paltry 183 in 54.4 overs. With a third World Cup triumph seemingly in sight, West Indies were shut out for a disappointing 140, going down by 43 runs.
Some 29 years later and six World Cup tournaments – 1987 (staged in India/Pakistan), 1992 (Australia/New Zealand), 1999 (England/Ireland/Netherlands/Scotland), 2003 (South Africa), 2007 (West Indies) and 2011 (India, Sri Lanka/Bangladesh), West Indies are still to reach a final.
In the interim, Caribbean sides have triumphed in 2004 ICC Champions Trophy, held in England and the recently-held World Twenty20 competition in Sri Lanka.
Following Lloyd’s exit, the 1987 Reliance World Cup saw the ‘Master Blaster’ Richards taking over the captaincy with Carl Hooper and Roger Harper being an integral part of the playing X1 in all the matches. West Indies failed to reach the semis.
Australia emerged champions with a narrow seven-run victory over archrivals England at Kolkata.
Hooper and Harper were once more part of the 1992 Benson & Hedges World Cup squad in Australia/New Zealand and with the departure of Richards, fellow Antiguan Richie Richardson took over the reins of captaincy.
Australia successfully defended their title, defeating Pakistan in the final.
1999 saw the emergence of durable and dependable left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul and fast bowler Reon King, joining Hooper as the three Guyanese in Brian Lara’s team.
Australia were again in winners’ row, whipping Pakistan in the final.
Hooper became the second Guyanese to captain West Indies in a World Cup tournament, leading the regional side in 2003 in South Africa with Chanderpaul returning for his second stint and Ramnaresh Sarwan making his World Cup debut.
Australia made it three in a row with victory over India.
In what proved to be Lara’s swan song as West Indies captain, Chanderpaul and Sarwan were part of the squad in the 2007 tournament, played in the Caribbean for the first time.
In a rain-affected final, played at the Kensington Oval, Barbados, Australia proved they were kings of the 50-over game with a fourth consecutive World Cup title with victory over Sri Lanka.
Chanderpaul returned for his fourth World Cup in 2011 while Sarwan and leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo were also part of the squad, the latter a late replacement for the injured Dwayne Bravo.
Australia’s dominance came to an end after they were dethroned in the semi-finals by eventual winners India who defeated Sri Lanka before a frenzied home crowd.
Guyanese also featured prominently in the Champions Trophy and World Twenty20 tournaments with Chanderpaul, Hooper, King and opener Clayton Lambert being part of the 1998/99 Champions Trophy squad, led by Lara.
Despite a blistering 103 off 102 deliveries from Barbadian opener Philo Wallace and 49 from Hooper, the regional side succumbed to South Africa in the final, played at Dhaka, Bangladesh. Chanderpaul had earlier hit 74 in a semi-final win over India.
In 2000/2001, leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo, opener Azeemul Haniff and fast bowler Colin Stuart donned Windies colours as the West Indies, who were led by Jimmy Adams, lost in the quarter-final to Sri Lanka in a knockout version of the tournament, played in Nairobi, Kenya.
Hooper led the 2002/2003 side in Sri Lanka with Chanderpaul, Sarwan and Nagamootoo being part of the lineup.
India and Sri Lanka shared championship honours following a rain-ruined final.
In the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy tournament, played in England, Chanderpaul and Sarwan were part of the winning combination that defeated England by two wickets in a famous nail-biting final.
Requiring 218 for victory, the West Indies were in dire straits at 147 for eight before wicketkeeper Courtney Browne and fast bowler Ian Bradshaw saw them to victory with 35 and 34 undefeated respectively in 48.5 overs.
West Indies , led by Lara, reached the semi-finals of the 2006/2007 Champions Trophy, played in India, losing to Australia, Chanderpaul and Sarwan again being in the mix.
Australia defeated West Indies by eight wickets in the final after bowling out the regional team for 138 in 30.4 overs. The Aussies were 116 for two in 28.2 overs when rain intervened, thereby winning on the Duckworth/Lewis system.
Sarwan followed in the footsteps of Lloyd and Hooper, captaining the West Indies in the 2007/08 World Tweny20 tournament, staged in South Africa. Chanderpaul and newcomer Narsingh Deonarine made it three Guyanese in the squad.
India triumphed in the final with victory over archrivals Pakistan.
A dispute between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and West Indies Players Association (WIPA) saw the West Indies field a ‘second string’ side in South Africa in 2009/10 Champions Trophy  with Travis Dowlin and Royston Crandon included in the squad, led by Barbadian Floyd Reifer. The team failed to win a match, losing to Pakistan, Australia and India.
Australia defeated New Zealand in the final.
In the 2010 World Twenty20, played in the Caribbean, Chanderpaul (who has made more limited-overs appearances than any other Guyanese), Sarwan and Deonarine were part of the squad.
England were the victorious side with victory over Australia.
It should also be noted that Chanderpaul, Sarwan, Leon Johnson and Sewnarine Chattergoon were included in the West Indies squad chosen for the 2008/2009 Champions Trophy, scheduled to be held in Pakistan. The ICC was forced to postpone that tournament because of grave security concerns in that country.