Sammy: U-19, women's team inspired us to do well

"Before the tournament, the disrespect from journalists and from our own cricket board was out of order. The only way we could make a statement was by winning this tournament," Sammy said.

Published : Apr 04, 2016 12:40 IST , Kolkata

West Indies players celebrate after receiving the World T20 trophy at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday.
West Indies players celebrate after receiving the World T20 trophy at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday.
lightbox-info

West Indies players celebrate after receiving the World T20 trophy at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday.

Victorious West Indies captain Darren Sammy said that it was the "disrespect" from its own cricket board (WICB) that made it all the more determined to win the ICC World T20 for the second time.

"We needed silverware in the Caribbean in 2012 and yes nobody gave us a chance back then. This one with all that happened before the tournament the disrespect from journalists and from our own cricket board that was out of order. The only way we could make statement is by winning this tournament," Sammy said at the post-match press conference.

"When you see those 15 men out there play now, that's what we could talk about. It is solely dedicated to the people and fans all over the world," said Sammy.

Sammy said the U-19 team and the women's team inspired them to do well. "I would like to thank the Almighty as it would not have been possible without His blessings. It means a lot not only for us as team but for our fans all over the world. We started the tournament inspired by U-19 boys. Earlier this afternoon the women won the Cup. All those are motivation to complete a treble. This means a lot for the cricket in the region.

"We left the Caribbean with a six-step goal for the Cup.Carlos (Brathwaite) in his debut World T20 has shown what a player he is. Marlon again in a final speaks volumes. All the guys chipped in. For me, as a leader, it was joy to captain. For me, it was about handling the egos and get the right decision. People may say I didn't bat much but my job was to get the best out of the team," Sammy explained his role.

The 32-year-old skipper agreed that West Indies get a lot of flak because of their poor performance in Test cricket but felt that this win could act as an inspiration.

"We keep getting a lot of stick because of the way we play Tests. T20 and Tests are totally different. This is the fact that allows us to win. We have a young captain in Jason (Holder), who is improving all the time. Hope this win could inspire our Test cricketers ."

For Sammy, it was the 'never say die' attitude that became their key to success."I am always at peace with myself. There are issues. The main focus was to play to win. We had the belief. Haven't you seen the belief and never-say-die attitude in the team. Had some tough victories. Today, it was another tough one. It was good to come out across the line," he said.

Sammy believes that Brathwaite's four sixes were proof why he was paid a huge sum by Delhi Daredevils at this year's IPL auction. "There was a reason why he was bought in the IPL. You saw what he is capable of doing. He is one to watch out for. The way he has played with the bat and ball going to be a massive asset for us. He has improved every game. No Pollard, no Darren Bravo, No Narine, yet we still won the cup. Shows we are too good in this format."

He also praised leg-spinner Samuel Badree, who has a No. 1 ranking in the ICC T20 list of bowlers. "It is not forgotten. That's why he is No. 1 bowler in T20 cricket. He bowled wicket-to-wicket and set the game for us. But we kept taking wickets. In this Kolkata pitch, we are happy with that 150-plus total."

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment