Having won two successive World Cups in 1975 and 1979, West Indies almost came close to securing their third, only to lose the final to India in 1983. Since that fateful day, the Windies have managed to enter the playoff stage only on three occasions - a semifinal entry in 1996 and a last-eight place in 2011 and 2015. Needless to mention, their ODI record, over the last five years, has been abysmal by any standards.

Placed at a lowly eighth spot in the ICC ODI Rankings, the Windies might have struggled to match the heroics of their predecessors in the past, but, going into the World Cup, they are as a big a threat as there can be for their rivals, following the script of Kapil Dev-led India's triumph in 1983.

Back in the 1983 World Cup, Kapil's Devils were ranked as outsiders who weren't expected to stand a chance against the proven opponents in the tournament, let alone run away with the title. They were consistently underestimated by stronger opponents like England, Australia and West Indies throughout the event - a mistake that eventually cost them all a shot at the World title.

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In 2019, the Windies find themselves in a similar situation. Owing to their dismal form in recent years, no one is expecting them to go the distance. And, quite expectedly, top contenders like India, England and Australia are likely to underrate the Caribbean giants in the upcoming event. But, can the Windies be underestimated? Not a good idea, to say the least.

The 15-member squad announced by Cricket West Indies (CWI) for the World Cup is not the one we can underestimate. The power-packed entertainers like Chris Gayle and Andre Russell are more than capable of winning the matches for their side single-handedly. The two superstars will also have adequate backing from swashbuckling Shimron Hetmyer, Evin Lewis, Shai Hope and Darren Bravo.

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The Windies also have the luxurious services of Jason Holder, Ashley Nurse and Carlos Brathwaite at their disposal. These men will not only provide depth to their batting but are more than capable of giving the ball a fair tonk. The pace attack, that has been their weapon of mass destruction in the early years, looks intimidating and dangerous with the availability of Shannon Gabriel, Oshane Thomas, Kemar Roach and Sheldon Cottrell.

On paper at least, the Windies do look like a side that can not only cause problems to the tournament favourites, but can also potentially reach the final. But, for that to happen, the men from the Caribbean need to perform in their respective roles, and, more importantly, click as a unit. So, can West Indies finally claim their place back at the top of the heap? We'll find out when they begin their campaign on 31st May against Pakistan at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.

Squad: Jason Holder(c), Evin Lewis, Darren Bravo, Chris Gayle, Andre Russell, Carlos Brathwaite, Nicholas Pooran, Oshane Thomas, Shai Hope(wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Fabien Allen, Sheldon Cottrell, Shannon Gabriel, Kemar Roach and Ashley Nurse.