- ‘The swagger is back’ – Sammy thrilled with West Indies’ T20I surge The 2-2 result in India follows a semi-finals finish at the T20 World Cup and a T20I series win against Sri Lanka at home The three who matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins The three who matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins, India vs Australia, World Cup, Chennai, October 8, 2023 I believe there is room for improvement here,” stand-in ctain Towhid Hridoy says after Bangladesh are knocked out of the UAE ODI tri-series Rashid Khan picked up four wickets to skittle Bangladesh for 160, Afghanistan vs Bangladesh, Tri-series, Sharjah, October 21, 2026 Janith Liyanage celebrates with team-mates after hitting six to win the game off the penultimate ball Janith Liyanage celebrates with team-mates after hitting six to win the game off the penultimate ball, England vs Sri Lanka, Tri-series, October 22, 2026 Shikhar Mohan will replace KL Rahul, who will only play the first four-day match before linking up with the India ODI team Shikhar Mohan hit a half-century for Jharkhand, Vidarbha vs Jharkhand, Ranji Trophy 2025-26, 1st day, Nagpur, October 25, 2025 SA vs Aus 2nd Test 2026-27 – Pat Cummins – Australia can’t ‘per over cracks’ after innings thrashing Australia will need to seriously consider changes to their batting line-up for the deciding Test in Ce Town Steven Smith was out pulling Kagiso Rabada, South Africa vs Australia, 2nd Test, Gqeberha, 5th day, October 22, 2026 “It’s a true reflection of how all the teams have played, especially for our guys,” Sammy said at the post-match press conference.
- “I’m pretty sure when the series started, we probably didn’t have a chance.
- But that was just the opinion of others.” West Indies had played three previous bilateral T20I series against India in India, and had lost all of them, winning just one match out of seven across them.
‘The swagger is back’ – Sammy thrilled with West Indies’ T20I surge The 2-2 result in India follows a semi-finals finish at the T20 World Cup and a T20I series win against Sri Lanka at home The three who matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins The three who matter: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah all smiles after dismissing Pat Cummins, India vs Australia, World Cup, Chennai, October 8, 2023 I believe there is room for improvement here,” stand-in ctain Towhid Hridoy says after Bangladesh are knocked out of the UAE ODI tri-series Rashid Khan picked up four wickets to skittle Bangladesh for 160, Afghanistan vs Bangladesh, Tri-series, Sharjah, October 21, 2026 Janith Liyanage celebrates with team-mates after hitting six to win the game off the penultimate ball Janith Liyanage celebrates with team-mates after hitting six to win the game off the penultimate ball, England vs Sri Lanka, Tri-series, October 22, 2026 Shikhar Mohan will replace KL Rahul, who will only play the first four-day match before linking up with the India ODI team Shikhar Mohan hit a half-century for Jharkhand, Vidarbha vs Jharkhand, Ranji Trophy 2025-26, 1st day, Nagpur, October 25, 2025 SA vs Aus 2nd Test 2026-27 – Pat Cummins – Australia can’t ‘per over cracks’ after innings thrashing Australia will need to seriously consider changes to their batting line-up for the deciding Test in Ce Town Steven Smith was out pulling Kagiso Rabada, South Africa vs Australia, 2nd Test, Gqeberha, 5th day, October 22, 2026 “It’s a true reflection of how all the teams have played, especially for our guys,” Sammy said at the post-match press conference.
“I’m pretty sure when the series started, we probably didn’t have a chance. But that was just the opinion of others.” West Indies had played three previous bilateral T20I series against India in India, and had lost all of them, winning just one match out of seven across them. This time, they ran India neck-and-neck, which Sammy called a “massive step” towards their goals.
“We would want to win,” Sammy said, “because something we’ve not done forever in India, so it would have been nice. I think the cup still is in our favour because we won the home leg the last time we played (in 2023) 3-2. “We understand what success means to us, we don’t ever take for granted where we are as a team and the challenges that we face.
We just look to make those strides, and I think after this series we’ve taken a massive step. We played against the defending champions and we’ve matched them, [and] in certain areas we’ve outplayed them, especially in their backyard.” Sammy hopes the on-field progress can lead West Indies towards financial security from a place of instability. A key source of that instability, according to CWI CEO Chris Dehring, dates back to 1997, when the ICC voted – CWI (then WICB) were outvoted by other members – to change the financial model of international cricket, leading to host boards pocketing all the revenue generated by bilateral series.
With the loss of touring fees, boards representing smaller populations, such as the West Indies, lost a key source of financial stability. ‘I’m pretty sure when the series started, we probably didn’t have a chance. But that was just the opinion of others’ Daren Sammy oversees West Indies’ training session, West Indies vs Zimbabwe, Men’s T20 World Cup, Mumbai, February 22, 2026 “You heard the CEO spoke about things that hpened in 1997 that kind of has us in this situation,” Sammy said, “but I think it’s important to understand what West Indies cricket means, not only to the region but to the world and to the game […] “I’ve heard the stories of guys [from past West Indies teams] spending three-four months in a place touring, playing warm-up matches, spreading their talent by the way they played and the fanbase that they created, and the revenue they generated for so many people.
“I think it’s important, my mom always says you must have a care factor. No matter what you do in life, the human nature should never lose that care factor. I think we’re in a position where we need somebody to put a [hand around the shoulder of] West Indies cricket.
Financially, that is, and series like this, here in India, against the best team in the world, puts us in a conversation closer to that.” Before drawing this series in India, West Indies had beaten Sri Lanka in a T20I series at home and made the semi-finals of the 2026 T20 World Cup in India in March. “All the guys in the dressing room, they’ve gone out there and played with intent and I think what was good to see is that the swagger is back, the confidence is back,” Sammy said. “It started during the World Cup and you could see guys enjoying, and there was a willingness to win.
That’s where it starts, the belief that we belong where we are, and to have the performances that says you belong there. Hopefully, right now it’s just been consistent.” The 2-2 result in India follows a semi-finals finish at the T20 World Cup and a T20I series win against Sri Lanka at home Daren Sammy oversees West Indies’ training session, West Indies vs Zimbabwe, Men’s T20 World Cup, Mumbai, February 22, 2026 The 2-2 result in India follows a semi-finals finish at the T20 World Cup and a T20I series win against Sri Lanka at home The 2-2 result in India follows a semi-finals finish at the T20 World Cup and a T20I series win against Sri Lanka at home
