It consists of Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States Virgin Islands.

They were considered amongst the strongest Test teams from the 1960s, ushering a golden age in which they were undisputed champions for the latter part of the 1970s to the mid 1990s.

The first known reference to cricket in the West Indies is believed to be from June 1806, in the Barbados Mercury and Bridgetown Gazette.

[2] During the period of colonial rule, cricket began to be played by the black population of the British West Indies.

This adoption was a consequence of constant positive reinforcement from their masters for participating in activities that were familiar such as cricket, and abstaining from those that were perceived as taboo.

Foremost, they were allowed to prepare the wicket before matches, although some were permitted to bowl or retrieve batted balls.

Some segregation still existed, for instance the fact that black players were often excluded "from clubhouse refreshment breaks during and after the game".

[2] Gradually, blacks began to be employed on professional teams, marking the start of full racial integration in the sport.

[18] Election to full membership of the ICC meant the West Indies could play official Test matches,[19] which is the designation given to the most important international games, and the Windies became the fourth team actually to play a recognised Test match on 23 June 1928 when they took on England at Lord's in London.

The general historical consensus is that this is due to an increase in fast bowling, backed up by some of the best batsmen in the world.

It was originally formed in the early 1920s as the West Indies Cricket Board of Control (and is still sometimes referred by that name), but changed its name in 1996.

The West Indies cricket team has also provided some of the greatest players to the world, the biggest example of which is Viv Richards.

India won two World Championship cups in 1975 and 1979 consequently under the captaincy of Sir Clive Lloyd.