Player availability fuels West Indies coach Daren Sammy’s T20 World Cup ambitions

MUMBAI: West Indies coach Daren Sammy said his team believed they could do “something special” as they prepared to begin their Super Eights Group 1 campaign against Zimbabwe at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday.

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Sammy said the West Indies drew confidence from four straight wins in the 2026 T20 World Cup, and added that the availability of players, long a point of debate in West Indies cricket, helped the side’s preparation and gave players role clarity.




“It’s the first time in a long time that we’ve had every single person that is available for the West Indies playing. Each player has put in a conscious effort to pay a little bit more attention to the detail, the preparation, the planning. With the clarity that they’ve had (of their roles), it makes it easier to execute. The guys believe they could do something special,” said Sammy.

Wearing a fresh haircut which pacer Shamar Joseph gave him at Sunday’s press conference, Sammy said he was happy with recent outcomes.

While the West Indies have been flying high, after disappointing in the last two editions, the 42-year-old isn’t taking Zimbabwe lightly and responded sharply when asked about the African nation’s unexpected qualification for the Super Eights.

“Who said Zimbabwe are not supposed to be here?” he shot back. As if for effect, he then added, “A lot of people said the West Indies are not supposed to be here either.”

Get the latest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 updates, including the full schedule, teams, live scores, points table, and key series stats such as top run-scorers and wicket-takers.