KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Shape up or ship out!

This is the stern warning from West Indies captain Brian Lara to his middle-order batsmen. The skipper has told the batsmen to improve their performances or get ready to be booted out of the team before next year's World Cup.

Lara lashed out at his team after it suffered an embarrassing collapse, getting bowled out for 146 while chasing a small total of 162 against India in a qualifying match of the tri-series tournament Wednesday night.

It was West Indies' second batting collapse. It lost the tournament opener against Australia on September 12 from a position of strength when its last nine wickets fell for 29 runs.

Lara said he still had not lost faith in his players, describing them as good talents who should have regained their ebbing confidence in the tri-series tournament.

West Indies has already made it to the final and Wednesday's result was inconsequential to the team, except to serve as a gauge for the shortcomings of its middle-order.

"You expect these guys to come in to their own. It is unfortunate that it hasn't happened despite a few opportunities," he said, adding that the pressure of the tournament title match on Sunday may "bring out the best in them".

But they should not take things for granted, he said.

"I still feel there are (other) people who are knocking on the door" to get into the team. "If these guys do not take the opportunity now they are going to be replaced," he said

West Indies turned their batting order upside down on Wednesday by promoting Runako Morton, Wavell Hinds and Marlon Samuels up the batting order so they could prove their mettle. Opener Chris Gayle dropped to No. 6 and Lara to No. 9.

The plan was to allow them to "get some runs on the board, get some confidence for Sunday", said Lara. "That didn't happen. ... at least we know where we stand. The guys can go and apply themselves in the next two days and see if we can get our act together.

"We are not sure what is happening at No. 6, 7, 8 in the batting line-up. That's where our worries are at the moment – in the batting," he said. (AP)