In October 2024, Alzarri Joseph etched his name into the record books by becoming the fastest West Indian to 50 T20 International wickets. Yet for the Antiguan pacer, the numbers only tell part of the story—his true motivation comes from an unwavering passion for West Indies cricket, particularly the longer format, and a deep sense of personal pride.
Joseph reached the milestone in just 31 matches, eclipsing the previous mark of 39 set by two-time T20 World Cup winner Samuel Badree. A name long associated with raw pace since his standout performances in regional youth tournaments, Joseph was a key member of the West Indies Under-19 team that captured the ICC Youth World Cup in Bangladesh in 2016.
Now 28, he has matured into the leader of the West Indies bowling attack across all three formats. It is Joseph’s desire to be the best and most impactful player every day that drives him to consistently clock speeds above 140 km/h.
“I’m all about winning. I like winning. I always try to put my team in a winning position. It is always good to challenge yourself against the best of the best because it is good to compete against the best of the best and know that you can beat them,” Joseph explained.
Slenderly built but mentally tough, Joseph is disciplined with his preparation, managing the physical and mental demands of playing all three formats of the game.
“Balancing all three formats is tough; the games come quick and fast for us. The management and medical teams are trying their best to rotate me as much as they can and try to manage my body to take me as deep as they can,” he said.
Joseph has already made history by becoming the Antiguan with the most ODI wickets—123 and counting—surpassing legendary all-rounder Sir Viv Richards’ total of 118. He also boasts 111 Test wickets and 53 in T20Is.
The three-match Test series against Australia, Joseph believes, is another opportunity to show his worth, given his immense love and passion for the longer format of the game. He only snared two wickets in the opening contest, which West Indies lost by 159 runs, but will be hoping to improve in the second encounter, which bowls off on Thursday.
“If you look at the direction of the game right now, test match cricket is taking on a lot more of the characteristics of ODI cricket. Especially when you look at the strike rates of the batters, the scores, and how fast they are getting there. Even in T20s and ODIs, especially during the powerplays, you often rely on Test match skills like hitting that 6–8-meter length. So, all the skills really come into play across formats,” Joseph shared.
“I enjoy challenge; my first love is always going to be Test cricket. I am going to see how long I can play for and how many matches before my body tells me to stop, but Test cricket is my first love,” he added.
Standing tall at 6 feet 3 inches, Joseph may be fierce on the field, but off the pitch, he reveals a more reserved, laid-back personality.
“It’s quite the opposite, honestly. Off the field I am more to myself, more a person who is going to be inside, watching TV, being on the phone with my family, playing video games now and then, and spending some time on the golf course. Outside of that, not much fire, just enjoy life as much as possible,” he said.
Cricket has always been his path, though there were early flirtations with football, and he even dreamed of becoming a pilot. And, as for life after cricket, Joseph isn’t rushing into coaching.
“I wanted to be a pilot when I was going to primary school, but then I started playing football, but my true love was with cricket. Initially I don’t think I want to get into coaching; I want to spend time at home, spend more time with my children, and if I get into coaching, it is unlikely that I will be able to do so,” Joseph noted.
Joseph has seen moments of jubilation and despair across his amateur and professional career, but there is one constant recipe that has never been diluted.
“It takes hard work, takes a lot of discipline, you must invest in yourself, you can’t wait for coaches or teammates to train, you must put the hard work in, even when everyone is sleeping, and no one is watching, you just put the work in. At the end of the day, you want to benefit yourself and become a better player,” Joseph stated.
A rare blend of talent, resilience, and dedication, Alzarri Joseph now chases another historic milestone—becoming the first West Indian to claim 100 wickets in all three formats. As he continues to wear the maroon with pride, his journey stands as an inspiration for the next generation. Sportsmax
