Darren Sammy speaks to members of the media at the official captain’s arrival media conference. © WICB Media
DHAKA, Bangladesh – West Indies captain Darren Sammy arrived in Bangladesh on Sunday full of confidence his team is capable of retaining their ICC World T20 title.
The allrounder went one step further and boldly suggested it could be a “Windies double” as he believes the West Indies women’s team to also bring glory to the people of the region.
Sammy was speaking to members of the media shortly after arriving in Dhaka, where his team will play all their matches.
The Women’s tournament will be played alongside the men’s tournament. Back in 2012 Sammy was at the helm when the Windies won their first ICC World T20 title in Sri Lanka. In that same tournament, the women reached the semi-finals.
“We have come here to win again. We believe we have the fire-power and the belief to do it again. No team has ever retained the ICC World T20 title and we want to be the first team to achieve that feat,” Sammy said. “We spoke to some of the girls and they are really upbeat….we are also backing our women’s team to do the job.
“They are a great group and we (men’s team) are backing them to also deliver and make it a ‘West Indies double’ here in Bangladesh. That would be great – something that has never been done before.”
West Indies will have their first warm-up match against England at Futullah on Tuesday afternoon. They begin their campaign against India in at the Sher-e-Bangla in Mirpur on March 23.
The Windies women will play a warm-up match against South Africa on Tuesday. Their first tournament match will be on March 24 against England at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
Sammy also said that his team received great motivation when they met with cricket legends Sir Garfield Sobers and Sir Vivian Richards at the recent launch of the West Indies Retired Players Foundation.
The function, which was held in Barbados last Thursday after they beat England in the three-match T20 series at Kensington Oval, was also the official departure reception for the team.
“I just want us to continue improving as a team and being consistent,” Sammy said. “In the Caribbean we are blessed to have some of the greatest players and it was a real inspiration to be with them before we left home. They gave us some words of encouragement and that was a boost for the team.
“I heard a speech from Sir Garry and he spoke about being consistent and doing consistently well, and that’s what brings the success of a team when you go out and play. For you to win games, you have to be doing things consistently well. The basics of the game never change.”
Sammy added: “For us as a team, we just have to do that and try when we go out and play, remember the fans and be consistently good. Once we do that with the calibre players that we have, we stand a good chance of being successful.”
MEN’S SQUAD: Darren Sammy (Captain), Samuel Badree, Dwayne Bravo, Johnson Charles, Sheldon Cottrell, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Krishmar Santokie, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith
MANAGEMENT: Ottis Gibson (Head Coach), Sir Richard Richardson (Team Manager), Stuart Williams (Assistant Coach), Andre Coley (Assistant Coach), Saqlain Mushtaq (Assistant Coach), C.J. Clark (Physiotherapist),Hector Martinez Charles (Strength & Conditioning Coordinator), Richard Berridge (Video & Statistical Analyst), Virgil Browne (Massage Therapist), Philip Spooner (Media Manager)
MATCH SCHEDULE
March 23: vs India at Sher-e-Bangla
March 25: vs Qualifier at Sher-e-Bangla
March 28: vs Australia at Sher-e-Bangla
April 1: vs Pakistan at Sher-e-Bangla
April 3: 1st Semi-final at at Sher-e-Bangla
April 4: 2nd Semi-final at Sher-e-Bangla
April 6: FINAL at Sher-e-Bangla
WOMEN’S SQUAD: Merissa Aguilleira (captain/wicket-keeper), Shemaine Campbelle, Shanel Daley, Deandra Dottin, Chinelle Henry, Stacy-ann King, Kycia Knight (wicket-keeper), Kyshona Knight, Natasha McLean, Anisa Mohammed, Subrina Munroe, Shaquana Quintyne, Shakera Selman, Tremayne Smartt, Stafanie Taylor
MANAGEMENT: Sherwin Campbell (Head Coach), Pat Greenidge (Manager), Ezra Moseley (Assistant Coach), David Bernard Sr (Trainer), Oba Gulston (Physiotherapist), Trent Sargeant (Analyst), Ayana Cooper (Player Relations Officer), Philip Spooner (Media Manager)
MATCH SCHEDULE
Warm-ups
March 18: vs South Africa at Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Prothistan, Savar
March 20: vs Australia at Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Prothistan, Savar
Tournament Matches
March 24: vs England at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium
March 26: vs Bangladesh at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium
March 28: vs Sri Lanka at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium
April 1: vs India at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium
April 3: 1st Semi-final at at Sher-e-Bangla, Mirpur
April 4: 2nd Semi-final at Sher-e-Bangla, Mirpur
April 6: FINAL at Sher-e-Bangla, Mirpur