DELHI, India, CMC – Darren Sammy believes West Indies can overturn an abysmal, recent One-day International record against Test-playing nations, and upset a few teams in the World Cup.
The West Indies captain was speaking ahead of his side’s opening match in the World Cup against South Africa tomorrow at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium
.
“We have to believe in our ability,” he said in response to questions posed by the CMC Sport Wire. “We are here to compete like any other team.
“We have one objective in mind, and at the end of the day, once we go out onto the field and execute, anything is possible.”
West Indies have endured an inordinately lean period in One-day International since the last World Cup. This has led to Sammy’s side plunging to ninth in the World Rankings for this format, behind minnows Bangladesh.
Sammy feels this should motivate the players to lift their performances during the World Cup, which help them to move in a different direction on the list.
“We are well all very aware of it,” he said. “But we start this tournament with every team on zero points, and we know the World Cup is the most prestigious event in cricket.
“We are very aware of what is at stake for us in this tournament – our pride, our fans, our own personal careers – so I know the guys will put their best foot forward to turn the ranking around in the World Cup.”
He added: “We know we are much better than where the rankings have placed us, and we will do all in our power to improve on this.
“We are fully aware that we have not play at our best for a long time, but the World Cup is a good place to start in transforming our fortunes.”
West Indies plans for the tournament hit a snag, when wicketkeeper/batsman Carlton Baugh Jr and opening batsman Adrian Barath were forced to return home with hamstring injuries.
Reserves Kirk Edwards and Devon Thomas were activated, and arrived in south-east Asia on Monday.
Thomas is likely to walk straight into the side for the match, but Edwards may be kept in the cotton wool, as a shift in the batting order should see Shivnarine Chanderpaul move up to open, with Devon Smith slotting into the middle.
Sammy admitted losing Baugh and Barath would be another challenge for his side to overcome.
“It is a blow to us,” he said. “We had put together a squad for the World Cup, and it is unfortunate that we have lost those two players.
“Adrian scored a maiden ODI hundred against Sri Lanka just a few weeks ago, and Carlton has been performing well in front and behind the stumps.”
He said: “We have to move on from this. Kirk has been batting well, and we know how exciting a prospect Devon can be, so its another opportunity for two young players to come through and make a difference in West Indies cricket.”
It will still be a rough baptism for Sammy as captain, as well as Edwards and Thomas as young players, when West Indies face the South Africans.
Apart from the sheer gulf in skill application, West Indies will have the additional burden of reversing a record that shows they have lost their last 11 ODIs to the Proteas.
Their last victory over Graeme Smith’s side however, came five years ago in India, when they won their semi-final in the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy by seven wickets at Jaipur’s Mansingh Stadium.
Only four players have survived from that side. They are vice captain Dwayne Bravo, as well as former captains Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Chris Gayle, and Ramnaresh Sarwan. All will have to vital roles to play if West Indies to stun the South Africans once again.
The match starts at five tomorrow morning East Caribbean Time, and can be viewed on CMC television partners throughout the region.
Squads:
WEST INDIES (from): Darren Sammy (captain), Sulieman Benn, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Kirk Edwards, Chris Gayle, Nikita Miller, Kieron Pollard, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Devon Smith, Devon Thomas
SOUTH AFRICA (from): Graeme Smith (captain), Hasim Amla, Johan Botha, Abraham de Villiers, Jean-Paul Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, Colin Ingram, Jacques Kallis, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Morne van Wyk
