KINGSTON, Jamaica – Speaking from his in-transit travel in Panama, West Indies head coach Darren Sammy dialled into the launch of the upcoming ODI and T20 series against Sri Lanka, and the passion in his voice was unmistakable.
West Indies head coach Darren SammyFrom June 3-14 at Sabina Park, the number nine-ranked home side will lock horns with the number six-ranked Sri Lankan team first with the ODIs, and Sammy made it clear that these are not just warm-up games.
“Jamaica is a special place,” Sammy said via telephone. “I remember when we first came back after a long time with the South Africa series, the support the Jamaican people gave the West Indies team. It’s always a special place to be at Sabina.”
But nostalgia quickly gave way to urgency. Fresh off a World Cup campaign that rekindled belief, Sammy is demanding results.
“Just from the spirit I saw in the World Cup, the camaraderie, the passion in which the guys played, the first time back in the Caribbean after the World Cup, I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
The real prize, however, lies in the 50-over format. Since the disappointment of failing to automatically qualify for the 2023 World Cup, the West Indies have been laser-focused on booking a direct ticket to 2027.
“All games, especially the ODI series against Sri Lanka, are very important for us, and that means getting the points that we need to make that automatic qualification. We have eight ODIs on home soil this year, and we’re going to make all eight count.”
Sammy revealed that a camp began today in Antigua, with training sessions starting tomorrow. The coaching staff is also being bolstered with a batting consultant, said to be joining the staff.
“We have some new personnel in the camp. Otis Gibson will be doing some work specialising in bowling. I know there’s another batting consultant, and CWI will announce that soon. We’re focusing more on the technical aspects, so that when we bring the tactical side, we are fully equipped to execute.”
Despite Sri Lanka’s high ranking, Sammy is banking on home conditions and crowd support.
“Sri Lanka is coming to the Caribbean, similar conditions to what they’ll have at home, but we’re trying to use our home advantage. The fans will come out and support in Jamaica. We’ve made our home a fortress for us over the last three years. We normally defend our home turf.”
The last meeting between the sides came in October 2024 in Sri Lanka, where the hosts won the T20I series 2-1 and the ODI series 2-0. Revenge is very much on the menu.
“We’ll need an all-round performance to beat Sri Lanka,” Sammy admitted. “We’ve already qualified for the T20 World Cup in Australia 2028, so all our efforts are geared towards defending our home soil in ODIs. We have 14 ODIs before the qualification deadline, and every single one counts.”
