SHALLOW THINKS DEEP

Cricket West Indies (CWI) President Dr Kishore Shallow says stronger Government support could help transform the sport into a more profitable venture for all stakeholders. CWI recently announced several changes amid its financial challenges, including major salary cuts for international and domestic players as well as the scrapping of several annual competitions and initiatives. The regional governing body says taking these measures is critical to ensuring West Indies cricket’s financial stability going forward. Over the years, governments have been criticised for not investing enough in the sport. This includes Jamaica after opting not to bid to host the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

SHALLOW… I don’t think Cricket West Indies over the years has done a good enough job at letting the public know about this but [there are] thousands of jobs created annually in the region because of cricket (Photo: AFP)

The Jamaican Government, however, played a significant role in the Jamaica Kingsmen’s debuting in this year’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and invested in upgrades at Sabina Park in 2025. Shallow, who also serves as minister of tourism in St Vincent and the Grenadines, says cricket is too valuable to the Caribbean to be overlooked. “I don’t think Cricket West Indies over the years has done a good enough job at letting the public know about this but [there are] thousands of jobs created annually in the region because of cricket,” he told the Super Over Podcast. “There’s nothing close to sports tourism, when you look at all the other sports or events in the region close to what cricket does. [Not just] hosting the [2024] World Cup but even outside of that hosting series after series after series plus CPL, what it does for the region is it stimulates the economy like nothing else. However, Shallow says he understands that social and economic issues are a hindrance in Government’s increasing their support. “It is not a lack of passion for West Indies cricket by the regional leaders.

Rosemary Mair (left) of Jamaica Empress celebrates the dismissal of Tazmin Brits (out of picture)
of Guyana Amazon Warriors during the Women’s 2026 Limacol Caribbean Premier League match 2
between Jamaica Empress and Guyana Amazon Warriors at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados,
on September 6. (Photo:Observer File)

It’s just that everyone, in terms of the national leaders, has their challenges,” he said. “Even Caricom, every week there’s another challenge and while they are committed in different forms and have made their contributions to cricket, I suspect once there’s the fiscal room or privilege to do such, it’ll be done. “I just think that [they’ll] have competing priorities. So they’ll tell you, ‘Yes, we understand cricket stimulates the economy, but then we could do other things.’ “[They] could invest it in air travel, they could talk about using it to invest in a fund to market the region as a whole better, establishing a regional health system that helps us all and there have been requests from other organisations for [support] so we’re not alone or unique in making this request but again, it’s a matter of competing priorities.” Shallow, however, says increased investment in cricket could strengthen the economies of the countries involved and create greater financial opportunities. “The reason why I have no doubt or reservation in my mind that the leaders fully appreciate this is when you look at cricket — and this is obviously no bias and I challenge anyone to prove me wrong — there’s nothing else in the region that impacts us like cricket,” he said. “It is really an investment and maybe Caricom and regional leaders should look at it as an investment into the economy because by boosting cricket, you are ultimately boosting the economy. There’s so many great opportunities in the game now across the region that I think it is a really responsible thing for the governments to invest in cricket or find ways that will not affect them fiscally, locally or nationally, but that could help the region in cricket.” In August, Sports Minister Olivia Grange said the Government is “doing everything possible to make sure we build back cricket here in Jamaica”, after the return of the CPL to the island.