It’s official! The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup is officially underway from today as cricket fever grips the West Indies and USA for the next 29 days.
In true West Indian style, the West Indies men’s team touched down at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport around noon yesterday and was serenaded by rhythmic drumming and an array of dances on the tarmac of the airport. New Zealand who will play at the Providence National Stadium, also had the same warm welcome when they arrived as well.
Following the brief entertainment, both sides then headed to the Marriott Hotel in Georgetown, where they will call home for the next few days or so.
At the Marriott, Head Coach of the West Indies along with the Guyanese quartet of Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph, Romario Shepherd and Sherfane Rutherford participated in a brief press conference where they all expressed confidence ahead of the world cup campaign at home.
Sammy, a two-time T20 World Cup winner as a player is seeking to now win it as a coach and talked up his side’s preparation in the build-up to this world cup.
“It’s always a pleasure being here, the way Guyana has been evolving recently, there is no better place to start a world cup than here”, he said.
“Our preparation didn’t start now, it started from the last world cup in Australia.
The guys that we started with and persisted with are here now. If you look at the way we have played over the last year or so, we are home and we have a chance of creating history at home” Sammy declared.
“We are prepared, we have done the job and we are ready”.
Meanwhile, the hard-hitting left-hander Rutherford said that there is no place like home. “I have been preparing for a while now and I am excited to get started in this campaign”.
The muscularly built all-rounder Shepherd who before Sammy’s appointment as head coach, was an inconsistent pick for West Indies, has found himself being handed an important role within the current West Indies setup where he operates as a death bowler and a finisher with bat in hand. “He gave me a role and I am thankful for my role.
We are hoping to start with a win and I am always happy to play in Guyana because of the crowd support. It means a lot”.
Meanwhile, the newly minted express fast bowler Joseph said that opportunity “is always a great thing. My aim is to do my best and make my people proud”.
Motie, who has been remarkable with his left-arm finger-spin, called it ‘special’ to be able to play his first T20 World Cup match on home soil and promised to go out and do his best on match days.
West Indies’ campaign gets underway tomorrow at the Providence National Stadium when they face minnows Papua New Guinea from 10:30 am. Before that match, a mini-concert is expected to get underway with the stadium gates open from 8:30 am.
