Powell Reflects on ‘Pretty Successful’ West Indies T20I Captaincy Stint

Rovman Powell has described his time as West Indies’ T20I captain as “pretty successful”, expressing pride in leading the side from ninth to third in the ICC rankings during his tenure.

Powell captained West Indies in 37 T20 internationals, serving as full-time skipper from March 2023 to December 2024, including at the 2024 T20 World Cup, which the Caribbean side co-hosted with the United States. The 32-year-old recently crossed the milestone of 100 T20I appearances and has now played 107 matches for West Indies.

“A lot of the stuff in your career you didn’t set out to achieve,” Powell told ESPNcricinfo during a media interaction organised by Dubai Capitals at the ongoing ILT20. “You start with the ambition to play for West Indies. That was the goal. Now I’ve played over 100 T20I games, and that’s something I’m really grateful for.”

Reflecting on his leadership, Powell highlighted the team’s rise in rankings as a major point of satisfaction.

“I’ve moved the team from ninth in the rankings to No. 3 in the world. Those are the little things you feel proud about during your career,” he said. “My captaincy stint with the West Indies was very good. It fostered better interactions with players and encouraged healthy conversations about how they could contribute to West Indies cricket.”

Powell took over the captaincy from Nicholas Pooran and said the role broadened his perspective, especially while playing franchise cricket around the world. He has represented 10 teams across seven franchise leagues, balancing those commitments with international duties.

“International cricket is still the priority,” Powell said. “After you play international cricket, you pick a few competitions that don’t have clashes. ILT20 and IPL are two of those. Unfortunately, the PSL usually clashes, and we also have our own CPL.”

In terms of performance assessment amid a packed calendar, Powell said he evaluates himself competition by competition rather than match by match. He has already played 51 T20s this year, following 73 appearances in 2024.

“At the end of each competition, I ask whether I made meaningful contributions,” he explained. “When I had the opportunity to win a game, did I take it?”

As a batter, Powell believes his best position is at No. 5, where he feels he can strike the right balance between aggression and consistency. He has scored over 2,000 runs at that position in T20s at a strike rate of 146.11.

“At No. 5, you can build an innings,” Powell said. “You’re not always rushed. You get time to read the conditions and understand what the game needs.”

Although he has now been succeeded as T20I captain by Shai Hope, Powell remains focused on the next phase of his career. Having been retained by Kolkata Knight Riders, he will not need to go through the IPL auction, allowing him to shift focus after the ILT20 to the upcoming T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, starting February 7.

With West Indies having not reached the knockout stages of the tournament since their 2016 triumph, Powell sees the event as another opportunity to contribute significantly and add to what he already considers a career to be proud of.