While all eyes were on big-hitter Kieron Pollard to set the stadium ablaze, it was Darren Sammy who led the way for the West Indies in their opening match of the T20 World Cup against Ireland on Friday. Sammy couldn't put a foot wrong as the hosts romped to a 70-run victory to kick-start their campaign in grand style.
Former England cricketer Mark Nicholas, on Monday, tendered an unconditional apology to victorious West Indies captain Darren Sammy and his players for his comments that the cricketers from the Caribbean are 'short of brains'.
Batting great Viv Richards has come out in support of Darren Sammy after the West Indies Twenty20 skipper criticised the country's cricket board (WICB) for lack of support during the team's triumphant campaign in the World T20 in India.
'People were wondering we would plays this tournament, we had issues with the board, Mark Nicholas called us players with no brain. But all of us came together.'
Embarrassed after dropping Indian centurion Rahul Dravid when he had barely started his innings, West Indies captain Darren Sammy confessed he couldn't sleep that night.
World number one they might be but India are a depleted side right now and West Indies skipper Darren Sammy says this, along with favourable home conditions, gives his team the belief that upstaging the visitors is not that tough a task.
Darren Sammy has seen how Pakistani spinners tormented Australia earlier this week and the West Indies captain is planning to subject George Bailey and his men to the same treatment in the second semi-final of the World Twenty on Friday.
West Indies captain Darren Sammy laughed off Indian batsman Suresh Raina's claim that the big-hitting Caribbean cricketers cannot rotate the strike and dared the Indians to stop his batsmen from hitting sixes in Sunday's World Twenty20 match.
Figuring out a way to end West Indies' misery against India is not the only thought bothering Darren Sammy, the skipper is also busy refuting allegations that he discouraged some regional cricketers from attending last week's Players' Association awards.
An exultant West Indies cricket captain Darren Sammy said winning the World Twenty20 title, the team's first major trophy in 33 years, has proved that the Caribbeans are gradually moving towards reclaiming their past glory.
West Indies skipper Darren Sammy was all praise for his bowlers, especially Sunil Narine, saying the mystery off-spinner brings "quality to the side".
West Indies skipper Darren Sammy gave debutante pacer Mohammad Shami the credit for India's crushing win, but also blamed his batsmen for "rash and irresponsible" shots which cost them the first Test of the two-match series inside three days.
'Don't get me wrong I'm not condoning what was done/said. I'm saying let's use this opportunity to educate each other so it doesn't happen again. One can only apologize if he/she feels wrong about something. I'm confident & proud to be black. That will never change'.
With India on a 10-match winning streak at home, it is difficult to stop their juggernaut, said West Indies captain Darren Sammy ahead of their second One-dayer in Visakhapatnam on Friday.
A stunning hat-trick from Josh Hazlewood was not enough for Australia, as Darren Sammy led from the front with an unbeaten half-century to fashion a morale-boosting three-wicket win in a World Twenty20 warm-up match at Eden Gardens.
After succumbing to a seven-wicket defeat against India in the second ODI, West Indies skipper Darren Sammy blamed his batsmen for failing to capitalise on a good start.
A fine all-round performance from Darren Sammy helped West Indies crush Bangladesh by 75 runs in the fourth One-Day International in Dhaka on Friday to square the five-match series 2-2.
All-rounder Darren Sammy will lead the 15-member West Indies cricket team for the tour of India, starting next month.
The sight of a West Indian batsman stealing a cheeky single is a rarity in international cricket but skipper Darren Sammy does not mind as long as the fours and the sixes keep flowing from their bats. The Caribbean side flexed their batting muscle to storm into the World Twenty20 final against England who they beat in a group stage match in Mumbai. Sammy is aware of the criticism of his team's poor strike rotation but believes the power-hitters can more than make up with big shots. "People say we don't rotate our strike well, we'll talk about that but first thing is you have to stop us from hitting boundaries that has been difficult for oppositions once we get in that swing," the ever-smiling all-rounder told reporters on Saturday. The semi-final against India illustrated Sammy's point.
The one characteristic that probably defines Darren Sammy the most is his smile. The West Indies captain is on most occasions seen flashing one, irrespective of how his team is performing.
Earlier this month, Sammy had demanded an apology after claiming that he was subjected to racism during his stint with Sunrisers Hyderbad teammates in the IPL when he was called 'Kalu' -- a derogatory word to describe black people -- by his teammates.
West Indies captain Darren Sammy expressed hope that his team would seize the opportunities that come their way in the final World Cup Group B match against India.
Having posted their seventh win in the ongoing Indian Premier League, Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder Darren Sammy has his fingers crossed as far as winning the title is concerned, but expressed confidence of making the play-offs.
The very mention of Chris Gayle irritated a normally soft-spoken West Indies skipper Darren Sammy who couldn't hide being sarcastic remarks when asked whether he is missing the prolific opener considering the state of his batting line-up.
Darren Sammy was handed the task of rebuilding the fortunes of the once-mighty West Indies team when he was named as the new captain on Sunday.
South Africa overcame a sizzling late innings blitz by Darren Sammy to take a 2-0 lead in the One-Day International series against the West Indies on Monday.
Images from the West Indies-Australia World T20 in Mirpur on Friday.
West Indies' two-time World T20-winning captain Darren Sammy has defended his team-mate Chris Gayle, who has once again revived accusations of sexism against him with some lewd comments in an interview with a British daily. Gayle, 36, came under fire for asking Australian broadcaster Mel McLaughlin out on a date in a live television interview during a Big Bash Twenty20 game in January. In the ongoing IPL, the Royal Challengers Bangalore opener sparked another sexism row when he asked a Times journalist a string of inappropriate questions. Sammy, however, chose to play down the latest row. "Chris Gayle is the universe boss, a team-mate of mine who I admire and respect. I just think people target Chris for no reason. "To me, Chris is one of our cricketing heroes. He's an entertainer, first, but a lot of people have jumped on his back," Sammy was quoted as saying by 'ESPNcricinfo'. He added, "I always support Chris because of what he does on a cricket field. Yes, we have a responsibility to ourselves, and the people who watch us, but sometimes I feel Chris is a target for newspaper headlines."
West Indies captain Darren Sammy has called for mediation to settle a contractual dispute that threatens to wreck the team's chances of winning next month's World Twenty20.
West Indies captain Darren Sammy says his batsmen have to find a way to score against India's spinners for the team to have a chance of doing well in the ongoing three-Test series, the first of which the visitors lost in four days.
Marlon Samuels's third Test century and a fluid knock from captain Darren Sammy helped West Indies put an abject start to the second Test with England behind them and rally to finish the first day on 304 for six on Friday.
West Indies skipper Darren Sammy claims his team has finally figured out a chink in Rahul Dravid's armour and the in-form senior Indian batsman would be out of the equation early in the third and decisive Test to be played in Roseau, Dominica.
West Indies captain Darren Sammy said their main objective coming into the match against South Africa was to qualify for the semifinals and he was delighted to have accomplished the task in Nagpur. In-form West Indies continued their unbeaten run and defeated South Africa by three wickets to seal their spot in the semifinals of the ICC World Twenty20. With three wins out of as many games, West Indies thus became the second team after New Zealand to enter the semi-finals of the marque event. "Yes I was smiling because of the position the game was, but there were butterflies in there. We came here to win this match and qualify, and we've done that, so we're really happy,' a delighted Sammy said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
West Indies' spin-wary batsmen should look to Shivnarine Chanderpaul to learn how to tackle the Indian spinners in the ongoing Test series, visiting captain Darren Sammy said on Sunday.
West Indies Skipper Darren Sammy dedicated their World Twenty20 triumph to fans back home and said it is a step in the "right direction" and will usher in a new beginning for cricket in the Caribbean islands.
West Indies are relying on Trinidad mystery spinner Sunil Narine to make a big impact on the England batting when the two teams meet in their opening super eight match at the Twenty20 World Cup in Pallekele on Thursday.
West Indies captain Darren Sammy, while backing the explosive batsman to be part of the side for the ODI series against England next month, insisted that he will need to get used to the 'hardworking culture' in the dressing room.
Even as Sachin Tendulkar stands on the threshold of scoring a record 100th international ton, West Indies skipper Darren Sammy says his team is already mulling over ways to break a few Indian hearts on Friday.
West Indian captain Darren Sammy was surprised that India shut the shop early and did not go full throttle for the victory in the final Test of the three-match series in Roseau (Dominica).
Shamar Joseph has only played three T20 matches in franchise-based leagues and has not taken a wicket.