BIRMINGHAM, England (CMC) — West Indies Head Coach Daren Sammy remained upbeat despite poor weather disrupting his team’s preparations ahead of the first One-Day International (ODI) against England on Thursday at Edgbaston.

Forced indoors for their net session on Tuesday, Sammy emphasised his team’s readiness to face the challenges posed by England as they continue their push towards automatic qualification for the 2027 Cricket World Cup.

“It’s always a challenge. Ireland was a challenge, England is a challenge — every international team poses different tests,” he said. “For us, it’s about continuing to believe, continuing to work hard. We hold the trophy from winning the series at home and now we’re focused on improving our away record. We have a team capable of doing that.”

With the West Indies ranked ninth in the ODI standings, just three points behind England, Sammy stressed the importance of climbing the rankings to secure automatic qualification.

“Ever since we started this journey we’ve had 2027 in mind,” he said. “Automatic qualification is the first goal, and climbing the rankings is the only way to do that. Every ODI from now until the qualification deadline is crucial, and this series is a big opportunity.”

Sammy reserved special praise for the West Indies’ middle order batting, singling out the rapid rise of Keacy Carty as a prime example of hard work paying off.

“Our middle order over the last year has been on par with the best in the world,” Sammy said. “Keacy Carty is proof that dedication brings rewards. The role we’ve given him, he’s grabbed it and excelled. When you invest you don’t always expect such high returns so quickly, but Casey has defied the odds.”

While acknowledging that some players are developing faster than others, Sammy expressed confidence in the team’s upward trajectory. However, he admitted that translating home success into away performances remains a hurdle.

“We’ve struggled away from home in places like Sri Lanka, Australia, but in Ireland, apart from that first 10 overs in the opening game, our batting was solid. Now, we need to repeat that here,” he said.

Sammy also highlighted the progress of young fast bowler Jayden Seales, whose new-ball spells have been a bright spot.

“Our bowling is improving, especially Jayden with that new ball,” he said. “There’s healthy competition for places based on performance, which is exactly what we want.”

With rain threatening to play a part in the series opener Sammy remained pragmatic.

“We’re preparing well with the conditions we’re given,” he said. “Weather permitting, we’ll be ready.”