West Indies will be at Champions Trophy through Darren Sammy
dubai — The once mighty West Indies may be conspicuous by their absence at the ICC Champions Trophy in England and Wales, probably the first time that they will be missing a global competition.
But there will be West Indian representation at the tournament, albeit behind a microphone. Twotime World T20-winning captain Darren Sammy, one of the most down-to-earth and lovable characters and a great ambassador of the game, is part of a distinguished panel of pundits who will be giving his two bits as part of OSN’s exclusive coverage of the competition.
And Sammy was a tad sad and disappointed that his beloved West Indies couldn’t make it to the tournament. “It is disappointing that West Indies are not part of the Champions Trophy. I think it is the first time that the West Indies won’t be part of a global event,” Sammy told the Khaleej Times at the OSN Studio at Dubai Media City.
“I was part of that team when Brian Lara won (the Champions Trophy) in 2004. And we were also in the final when we were beaten by Australia (in 2006). So, it is sad and disappointing but look, it is nobody’s fault. We didn’t play good enough cricket to be in the top eight teams in the world,” he added.
World champions in 1975 and 1979 as well as runners-up in the inaugural ICC Knock Out Trophy, as the Champions Trophy was known then in 1998, the men from the Caribbean failed to make the cut for the competition, after finishing ninth in the ICC rankings.
The downward spiral has been because of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) being at loggerheads with some of their top players and their subsequent absence. But Sammy believed that the Windies can return to where they belong.
“We have never been short of talent and I believe we could come back. We have got a young team and they are talented. Jason Holder has a lot on his hands but with the right guidance and probably with some senior players around him, we could make a step in the right direction. We could only go up from where we are,” he said. And as part of that, Sammy vowed his commitment to his country and said he is ready to answer the West Indies’ call, if it happens.
“Well, I’m not retired, I could only do what I do and right now I’m just playing franchise cricket around the world. If I get the opportunity to get selected, then I’ll gladly appreciate that because I’m still interested in playing international cricket.”
james@khaleejtimes.com