Latest news with #Brathwaite
Times of Oman
01-04-2025
- Sport
- Times of Oman
West Indies enter new era as Kraigg Brathwaite steps down as Test captain; Shai Hope takes over white-ball leadership
Saint John's : As the West Indies Senior Men's team prepares for a new chapter, Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced leadership transitions across formats ahead of a crucial home season. The upcoming home series will mark the start of the new ICC World Test Championship cycle with Test matches against Australia, while the tour to England and Ireland will see a new T20 captain settle into the role ahead of the campaign for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka, as per the official website of CWI. Kraigg Brathwaite has officially stepped down as Test captain, having first indicated his intention to do so to CWI leadership earlier this year, ahead of the completion of the West Indies' successful tour of Pakistan. Understanding the importance of continuity, Brathwaite wanted to ensure the team had a period of transition before his departure. As a result, he has submitted his resignation ahead of the home series against Australia, giving the new leadership time to establish itself. This series will be particularly special, allowing Brathwaite, who is two matches shy of 100 test matches, to double down on his batting without added responsibility. Brathwaite's official tenure as Test captain, which began in March 2021, has been defined by historic achievements. Under his leadership, the West Indies secured their first Test victory in Australia in 27 years with a thrilling eight-run win in Brisbane in 2024. Earlier this year, he led the team to a landmark test victory over Pakistan in Pakistan to level the series, the first in 34 years. His captaincy also saw the West Indies defeat England at home in 2022 and claim a 2-0 series win over Bangladesh in challenging conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. CWI extends its deepest gratitude to Kraigg Brathwaite for his years of service as captain, recognizing his dedication to West Indies cricket and his leadership in guiding the Test team to significant milestones. A new captain will be named in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the white-ball team also enters a new phase as Shai Hope assumes the role of T20I captain in addition to his existing ODI captaincy. He replaces Rovman Powell, who has led the T20 side with distinction since May 2023. Under Powell's leadership, West Indies enjoyed a resurgence in T20 cricket, securing home series victories against India, England, and South Africa. He also guided the team to the Super 8 stage at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 and played a key role in the team's rise from 9th to 5th in the ICC T20I rankings. CWI thanks Rovman Powell for his leadership and for elevating the team to new heights. His efforts have set a strong foundation for the future, and his contributions to West Indies cricket remain invaluable. This will include optimizing the chances of Powell contributing in a more defined way to the team as one of the leading batsmen in T20 cricket. On these recent developments, Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, stated, "Kraigg Brathwaite has been an outstanding leader for our Test team, guiding the squad with discipline, resilience, and a deep understanding of the game. His contributions have been invaluable, and under his leadership, we have witnessed historic moments that will be remembered for years to come. We thank Kraigg for his service as captain and look forward to his continued impact as a senior player," as quoted from CWI. "In terms of our white-ball leadership, after receiving the advice of Head Coach Daren Sammy on the intention to transition to Shai Hope, we spoke to Rovman Powell, who received the decision with professionalism and grace. I have expressed to him that he ought to feel dignified by his contributions to West Indies cricket, as he has played a crucial role in elevating our T20 team to new heights. His leadership has left a strong foundation, and we are grateful for his efforts," he added. To support his recommendation in leadership change, Head Coach Daren Sammy expressed, "Shai Hope's appointment signals a progressive shift for West Indies cricket, given his success with the 50 over team in the last 18 months. As the team continues its evolution, Hope blends instinctive decision-making with analytical precision, using in-depth match data and player performance insights to shape strategy. Shai is a strong believer in team performances, and his meticulous preparation, coupled with his calm and composed demeanor under pressure, makes him an ideal leader at this stage." As these leadership changes take effect, CWI is confident that this transition will provide stability and direction, ensuring West Indies cricket continues its upward trajectory across all formats.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Brathwaite steps down as West Indies test captain after 4 years
ST. JOHN'S, Antigua (AP) — Opening batter Kraigg Braithwaite resigned as the West Indies test captain on Monday after four years in the role. Brathwaite said he'd warned the selectors at the start of the year and wanted to give a new captain time to bed in before Australia visit in June for three tests. That series also marks the start of a new World Test Championship cycle. Advertisement Brathwaite replaced Jason Holder as captain during the pandemic and on his watch the West Indies won or drew nine of 16 series. They beat England at home in 2022, and won in Australia for the first time in 27 years in Brisbane in 2024. In his last game as captain, in January, West Indies ended a 34-year drought in Pakistan. Brathwaite has played 98 tests, the last 88 in a row since 2014, eclipsing Garfield Sobers' national record streak, but the job appeared to increasingly weigh on his batting. His 54 in Multan in January, when he went after the Pakistan spinners, helped to set up an historic 120-run series-levelling win, but it was first half-century in 13 innings, and third half-century in two years. Advertisement 'Kraigg Brathwaite has been an outstanding leader for our test team, guiding the squad with discipline, resilience, and a deep understanding of the game,' West Indies director of cricket Miles Bascombe said. 'His contributions have been invaluable, and under his leadership we have witnessed historic moments that will be remembered for years. We thank Kraigg for his service as captain and look forward to his continued impact as a senior player.' West Indies also announced a change in white-ball captain, with Shai Hope adding the Twenty20 job to his one-day international captaincy. Hope replaced fellow batter Rovman Powell, and his first series' in charge will be on the tours of Ireland and England in May. ___ AP cricket:
Associated Press
31-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Brathwaite steps down as West Indies test captain after 4 years
ST. JOHN'S, Antigua (AP) — Opening batter Kraigg Braithwaite resigned as the West Indies test captain on Monday after four years in the role. Brathwaite said he'd warned the selectors at the start of the year and wanted to give a new captain time to bed in before Australia visit in June for three tests. That series also marks the start of a new World Test Championship cycle. Brathwaite replaced Jason Holder as captain during the pandemic and on his watch the West Indies won or drew nine of 16 series. They beat England at home in 2022, and won in Australia for the first time in 27 years in Brisbane in 2024. In his last game as captain, in January, West Indies ended a 34-year drought in Pakistan. Brathwaite has played 98 tests, the last 88 in a row since 2014, eclipsing Garfield Sobers' national record streak, but the job appeared to increasingly weigh on his batting. His 54 in Multan in January, when he went after the Pakistan spinners, helped to set up an historic 120-run series-levelling win, but it was first half-century in 13 innings, and third half-century in two years. 'Kraigg Brathwaite has been an outstanding leader for our test team, guiding the squad with discipline, resilience, and a deep understanding of the game,' West Indies director of cricket Miles Bascombe said. 'His contributions have been invaluable, and under his leadership we have witnessed historic moments that will be remembered for years. We thank Kraigg for his service as captain and look forward to his continued impact as a senior player.' West Indies also announced a change in white-ball captain, with Shai Hope adding the Twenty20 job to his one-day international captaincy. Hope replaced fellow batter Rovman Powell, and his first series' in charge will be on the tours of Ireland and England in May. ___
New York Times
28-03-2025
- Automotive
- New York Times
For These Tesla Owners, a Rough Ride From Status Symbol to ‘Swasticar'
On the Lower East Side of Manhattan this month, two men spray-painted a red swastika on a parked Tesla Cybertruck. In the borough's meatpacking district, six people sat on the floor of a Tesla showroom and refused to leave, chanting 'Elon Musk is unelected, democracy must be protected' before being arrested. In Albany, lawmakers called for New York State's pension fund to unload its 3.5 million shares of Tesla stock. And in Harlem, Fred Brathwaite, a visual artist and hip-hop pioneer who goes by Fab 5 Freddy, decided it was time to part ways with his Tesla Model 3, which he bought in 2019. His reasons were unrelated to the car's performance. 'It's really looking like you're wearing a red MAGA hat driving this car,' he said. New Yorkers once embraced Teslas as that rare signifier of liberal green virtue that actually had some giddyap under the hood — an anti-S.U.V. that didn't drive like a cup of herbal tea. But now, as the cars are being overshadowed by their company's leader, that embrace is shading toward regret, like a what-was-I-thinking haircut in an old class photo. For Mr. Brathwaite, who loved his Tesla for the technology, not least the kicking stereo system, the turning point came when he watched the company's chief executive, Elon Musk, thrust his arm out in a way that struck many as mirroring a Nazi salute. 'That was insanity to me,' Mr. Brathwaite said. 'And then I see people calling it the 'Swasticar.'' Driving his once-beloved Tesla these days, he said, 'I feel like I'm lugging around all that negative baggage.' So he's going to unload it. He's not alone. Tesla owners nationwide are trading in their vehicles at record rates, said Jessica Caldwell, assistant vice president of insights at Edmunds, which tracks new and used car sales. At the same time, she added, online interest in shopping for a Tesla has hit its lowest point since 2022. Kara Li, an art historian in Brooklyn Heights, feels lucky to have traded in her family Tesla during the summer, before the backlash gathered too much momentum. She described her Tesla years almost like a relationship that went sour: It's not me, it's you. When she first got the car in 2018, she said, it came with an implied understanding that both brand and driver were 'concerned about emissions and fossil fuels and the future of our planet.' But as the years went on, she said, 'it became more focused on the cult of Elon Musk. That was not something that appealed to us or that we wanted to be associated with.' So they traded in their Tesla for an electric Ford. New York is not historically a car town, but the weekly demonstrations at Tesla showrooms in the meatpacking district and in Brooklyn have been some of the biggest and most visible in the country, and have led to 15 arrests for civil disobedience, said Alice Hu, an organizer at Planet Over Profit, one of the groups behind the Manhattan demonstrations. She said she expected this Saturday's 'Tesla Takedown' protest to be the largest yet, as demonstrators gather at more than 200 of the company's 277 dealerships in the United States, and more in Europe. All have contributed to a turbulent season for Tesla and its investors. Vehicles have been set on fire or vandalized with slices of American cheese, sales of the once-hot cars have slumped and the company's stock price has fallen by almost 50 percent since mid-December. In one bad day this month, Mr. Musk's net worth dropped by $29 billion. Last week, Tesla announced a recall of nearly every Cybertruck because of a problem with an exterior trim panel. The recall was the eighth in the aesthetically divisive vehicle's two and a half year existence. Citing both political and financial objections, lawmakers in New York are pushing to unload Tesla stock from city and state pension funds. 'It started with ethics and transparency in his own practices, and what he's doing with DOGE,' said Patricia Fahy, a Democratic state senator who drafted a letter urging the state comptroller, Thomas DiNapoli, to divest the state's 3.5 million shares of Tesla. 'Then we saw his stock was plummeting.' A spokesperson for Mr. DiNapoli said the state pension fund remained 'committed to monitoring risk to our investments and engaging portfolio companies, including Tesla, to preserve and enhance the long-term value of our investments.' In total, 25 senators signed the letter, all of them Democrats. Justin Brannan, a City Council member from Brooklyn who is running for city comptroller, called for City Hall to sell off the $1.2 billion of Tesla stock in its pension funds, recalling the actions of previous comptrollers to divest from fossil fuel stocks. Mr. Musk, he said, was bad for democracy in general, and bad for New York specifically. The city should not be 'investing pension funds in a company owned and operated by someone who has New York City in its cross hairs,' Mr. Brannan said. A spokesperson for Brad Lander, the current comptroller, who is running for mayor, said his office was 'exploring all options, balancing our fiduciary duty to New York City pensioners and the longstanding concerns we've raised with Tesla about governance and management issues.' Of course, not all remorseful Tesla owners are ready — or able — to give up their wheels. For those who aren't, there is a gusher of blame-deflecting bumper magnets, each reflecting a different hue of anti-Musk sentiment. Perhaps this one, from Zazzle: 'MAKE THIS CAR NOT EMBARRASSING AGAIN.'
Khaleej Times
27-01-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
Brathwaite hails West Indies' long-awaited Test win in Pakistan
West Indies bowler Jomel Warrican dominated his team's first victory over Pakistan in nearly 35 years on Monday, with skipper Kraigg Brathwaite labelling it an "outstanding" performance. The 32-year-old left-arm spinner took nine wickets to spearhead a series-levelling win against the hosts on the third day of the second Test in Multan. Pakistan needed 178 to win and sweep the two-match series after being reduced to 76-4 at stumps on the second day but lost two quick wickets when Saud Shakeel (13) and Kashif Ali (1) were removed cheaply by Kevin Sinclair and Jomel Warrican. Mohammad Rizwan gave the hosts a fighting chance, scoring 25 runs off 62 deliveries, before the wicketkeeper-batter was sent packing in the 42nd over by Warrican, who did the bulk of the damage with the ball with five wickets in the second innings. Reduced to 122-8, Pakistan's chase fizzled out when Gudakesh Motie removed Noman Ali and Warrican struck again to take out Sajid Khan. Skipper Brathwaite was effusive in his praise for Warrican, man of the match and of the series for his 19 wickets. "Jomel was outstanding," said Brathwaite. "To see how he went about his bowling and the pressure he built from ball one, I mean, it was amazing. "With the bat, you can't come to him more. I think he did a fantastic job with the bat as well. But bowling-wise, I know he's worked hard over the years." Brathwaite said Warrican's performance was as "amazing" as that of Shamar Joseph in Australia 12 months ago, when the newcomer fast bowler helped power the West Indians to a rare victory. "This one is right up there, both amazing Test wins," said Brathwaite. "To come here, playing here in Pakistan, it's never easy to win a Test match so to have done that is fantastic." The victory is West Indies' first in Pakistan since winning the Faisalabad Test in November 1990. Pakistan won the first Test by 127 runs, also in Multan. However, the second Test victory lifted West Indies to eighth in the World Test Championship, having started the series on ninth and last. The defeat plunged Pakistan from eighth to last. Warrican scored a crucial 36 not out in the first innings, which lifted the West Indies from a precarious 9-95 to 163 all out. Pakistan skipper Shan Masood acknowledged that the runs made by the West Indian tail were the turning point. "We allowed them to score 109 runs for the last two wickets and then we were 119-4 and then bowled out for 154 and conceded a nine-run lead, that pushed us back," Masood said. "We made mistakes as a team and lost as a team," said Masood, who has now lost nine of 12 Tests as captain. He defended the tactic of using dry pitches to assist spin bowlers in matches at home. "We've won three out of four Tests," said Masood, referring to Pakistan's two wins against England and then the first West Indies Test. Pakistan's batters also found the conditions tough to bat on, raising calls to have similar pitches in domestic matches where fast bowlers have ruled in the past two seasons. "We have to replicate these conditions in our domestic matches so that our batters can also bat better in future, but this is the strategy with which we have won a series against England," Masood said.
