Sammy urges stong start against Ireland
DUBLIN, Ireland (CMC) – West Indies Head Coach Darren Sammy expressed optimism after his team’s first training session ahead of their upcoming One-Day International (ODI) series against Ireland, which bowls off with the first match here on Wednesday.
Returning to action after a five-month break since their last competitive fixture against Bangladesh in December, Sammy was pleased with the energy shown by his players, after the team had touched down in Ireland just a couple of days ago.
“First of all, it’s good to be back on the job,” he said. “We haven’t played since December, so it’s great to see the guys eager to go. Our mission hasn’t changed; everything we’ve been building since 2023 is leading up to the 2027 World Cup, and we’re still on that quest.”
The two-time T20 World Cup-winning captain acknowledged Ireland’s competitiveness, particularly in home conditions, and stressed the importance of early preparation.
“Ireland has been very competitive over the years, especially against us, so we’re not taking anything lightly,” he said. “It’s good that we’re here a couple of days early to get acclimatised, and so far, I love what I see in the nets.”
The series marks the start of a crucial year for the West Indies, who will also tour England right after the Ireland series. Sammy highlighted the opportunity to test new players in the absence of Sherfane Rutherford, who was one of the team’s standout ODI performers in 2024.
“We’ll miss Sherfane; he was one of our ODI players of the year, and his contributions at No 5 were tremendous, but this gives someone else a chance to step up,” he said. “This squad is packed with all-rounders who bring different skills, and we’re here to win.”
Confident in his team’s ability to adapt, Sammy pointed to West Indies’ strong home ODI record and their ambition to replicate that success abroad.
“We’ve made the Caribbean a fortress in ODIs, but now we want to win overseas too,” he said. “This is our first series of 2025, and Ireland is a tough side at home. But we believe we can come here and win.”
