World Cup 2015: Sammy may play on Saturday despite bad ankle

CHRISTCHURCH: Young Kiwi nets bowler Frazer did not know how to apologize. He simply stood there with a painful expression on his face. He had just bowled a beamer to Darren Sammy, which almost hit the West Indian allrounder on his face. Sammy managed to avoid it but fell down and it took him quite a while to get back to his feet. "OK mate, it happens," he ups assured the young boy, before taking stance again.
That's Darren Sammy for you. A cricketer who has taken a few blows in his career but always comes up with a smile on his face. He scored 89 in the game against Ireland but it was not enough as West Indies crashed to a humiliating defeat. The allrounder is key to West Indies' chances against Pakistan, but it's not yet sure whether he would be fit. He limped off from soccer practice session, didn't bowl and even while batting, wasn't at his 100 per cent. "Yes, the ankle is hurting a bit. I have to see how it goes," Sammy told TOI.
In the last few years, Sammy hasn't got the recognition he deserves from the West Indies Cricket Board.Despite his seniority and ability to win matches, he was not made the captain even after Dwayne Bravo was removed.The St Lucia man even came close to being dropped from the World Cup squad. "He was included in the World Cup squad because he did well in South Africa," a source close to the West Indian team said.
During West Indies' game against Ireland, Sammy virtually had to take over captaincy as the Irish went on a rampage. Jason Holder, the new West Indian captain, is merely 23 and is still learning the tricks of the trade while vice-captain Marlon Samuels hardly interacts with the team. In such a situation, Sammy has to do the mentoring job, even though he has no official designation.
"You should remember I am not the young Darren Sammy any more. I have a tricky back as well, but I am trying," Sammy said. The team sources, though, claimed Sammy would play. "It's a must-win game for us. Even if Sammy has to play on one foot, he will do," the source said.