We want to stay underdogs ahead of WT20 final: Windies skipper Darren Sammy

Kolkata, 2 April। West Indies captain Darren Sammy says they want to stay as underdogs and win the World Twenty20 as they lock horns against England in the final at the Eden Gardens here on Saturday.

Sammy on Saturday stated he wants his team to be like David-the shepherd boy, a character in the Bible who had killed the giant ‘Goliath’. They downed pre-tournament favourites and hosts India in the semi-final to get a chance to earn their second world title after the 2012 heroics.

“We always want to be David, David is the winner. Even now people don’t give us a chance. We will be smart about it and play like David. If we do everything we know we are going to lift the cup,” Sammy told the media at the pre-match media conference.

Sammy insisted they are a strong batting powerhouse and that on their day they can be a destructive unit.

“Since inception, West Indies have been a boundary hitting team. We know the power we have in the dressing room. (Lendl) Simmons and (Johnson) Charles are all boundary hitting batsmen. For us it is one last step in the tournament. We are focused on England, also focused on us and if we do what West Indies can do then we will be destructive in this format,” he said.

The skipper also did not want to dwell too much on how the pitch would behave. ”It is about 22 yards, I have not had a look on the pitch. But it would not matter much," he reckoned.

Before coming into this tournament the West Indies have had a lot of problems with their board. Some senior players like Kieron Pollard dropped out because of contract issues. However, Sammy said the incident helped the players gel more as a unit.

“It has been a tough journey. A lot happened before the tournament. I believe everything happens for a reason. The pre-tournament incident brought us closer as a team. It was like us against everybody else,” he said.

“We came here after winning a tournament in 2012 and then we were in semi-finals in 2014. It is a format we have been consistent, but every game no one gives us a chance. We are here to take six steps and we have already taken five. It was a big one against India. 

"Yes! It is about one more step. We are a good team now, we believe in each other, we enjoy each other’s success. I can foresee what’s going to happen after we win.

“England are a very good side, since we have beaten them they have played great cricket, that is why they are in the finals. but we want to come out victorious.”

There have been tweets doing the rounds that a journalist has described the West Indies as a side with no brains. Sammy said these are just the sort of controversies that push them to perform better.

“We have struggled in the longer form (of cricket) for lack of proper structural development. That is why we don’t get the respect. We get that sometimes from our board. Everybody’s entitled to their opinion. That particular comment set it up for us. Guys with no brains? Even animals have it. To describe us like that is out of order,” said an agitated Sammy.

The skipper said the final is going to be a well contested one, adding that the trophy is theirs to lose after coming so far.

“We will do same things we have been doing all this time. They have a lot of match winners, don’t want to take them for granted and then we shift the focus back on us. First thing for the opposition is to stop us from hitting boundaries. We can only defeat ourselves. If we do well nobody can beat us. That is what we are taking forward against England,” said the 2012 World Twenty20 winning captain.

“They have good bowling. Skill versus skill, mind power versus mind power. Important we play good brand of cricket.”

Agency