Rovman Powell is not keen on hyperbole. Asked to sum up two years in charge of West Indies’ T20 side, the Jamaican all-rounder simply called it “pretty successful” – then backed up the claim with numbers.
“I’ve moved the team from ninth in the rankings to No. 3 in the world,” he said during a media call arranged by Dubai Capitals in the ILT20. “Those are the little things that during the duration of your career you feel proud about.”
Key facts first. Powell captained West Indies in 37 T20Is between March 2023 and December 2024, overseeing 24 victories and a home World Cup campaign that ended in the semi-finals. He has now played 107 T20Is in total, a milestone he never imagined when he first broke into professional cricket.
“A lot of the stuff in your career you didn’t set out to achieve,” he explained. “You started with the ambition to play for West Indies. That was the goal. And now the global landscape of cricket has grown over the last 10-15 years so much where now you also play for different franchises around the world.”
Powell, a powerful middle-order hitter, believes his leadership stint has strengthened relationships across the Caribbean dressing-room and the franchise circuit alike. “My captaincy stint with the West Indies was very good – a pretty successful stint. [It’s] something that I’m grateful for. It has fostered better interactions with the players… Whenever people would see you as captain, they would ask how far they are from playing for West Indies, and what they need to do.”
Preferred role at No. 5
Powell’s own game has not been neglected. He still likes to come in at first drop in a crisis or at No. 5 when the platform is set. “I like batting at No. 5 most,” he stated, reasoning that the position offers a chance to build an innings but still unleash late.
That balance is crucial when you play 50-plus T20s a year. In 2024 he clocked 73 matches across seven leagues; 2025 is shaping similarly. “I do it [on] competition-basis,” he said of performance reviews. “If you go match-by-match, then it is kinda hard… this game you get the opportunity to bat a lot of balls, the next game you get the opportunity to bat five-six balls. So I do it by competition.”
Choosing which tournaments to enter is an art in itself. “After you play international cricket, you pick a few competitions that don’t have any international clashes. Fortunately, ILT20 is one, [and] IPL is one. I haven’t been to the PSL in a few years because there’s always a clash. We have our own local competition, which is the CPL. When there is no international cricket, you see the other leagues that are going on, and if you can go there for a few games, that also works.”
Analysis
Powell’s leadership coincided with the return of several senior players and a clearer selection policy. Those factors, plus home advantage, helped propel West Indies back up the rankings. Yet analysts note that Powell’s tactical flexibility – employing three spinners on slow surfaces, promoting all-rounders up the order – also played a part. A win percentage above 60 supports that view.
Looking ahead, Powell insists international cricket remains the priority, even with his name on ten franchise rosters. West Indies’ next T20 assignment is a short tour of England in June; Powell is likely to bat five and, if asked, offer a couple of overs of medium pace. The broader aim, he says, is consistency: “At the end of the competition, all I want to ensure is make meaningful contributions.”
It is a modest closing remark, typical of a player who prefers deeds to fanfare. Still, moving a team six places up the rankings and passing 100 caps is hardly modest. The Caribbean game, long in search of stability, may look back on Powell’s “pretty successful stint” as something more than pretty good.
