India, Feb. 28 -- In black tights and maroon floppy hats, those big, strong men played keepy-uppy, their laughter bouncing off the empty rafters. Through knock-downs and nets on Saturday afternoon, West Indies looked relaxed. Nobody is winning this World Cup if they don't go through India, head coach Daren Sammy had said here before "the dance" began. Well, here they are with all the unease and exhilaration that a must-win match entails - against India on Sunday.

A lot has changed at Eden since West Indies won their last major world title here in 2016; joining the Maracana, Brasilia's Mane Garrincha stadium, Santiago Bernabeu and the Billie Jean National Tennis Center as a public health facility during Covid-19 among them. It was the fir...