Darren Sammy, captain of West Indies Twenty20 team, has told the Jamaica Gleaner he and his charges do not intend to take Ireland lightly ahead of their three-match series at Sabina Park.
The two teams arrived into Jamaica yesterday and are set to face off in two Twenty20 Internationals and a one-off one-day international over the coming week.
Darren Sammy told the Jamaica Gleaner, “As a West Indian team we always respect our opponents, no matter what, The Irish have not done well in the just-concluded NAGICO Super50, but no doubt we won’t be underestimating them as that could be a recipe for failure.”, the Saint Lucian is captain of the West Indies in the Twenty20 format.
“We will just have to go out there, keep our focus and try to execute as best as we can.”
The series, will help both sides to prepare for next month’s ICC World Twenty20 in Bangladesh, and the West Indies will certainly go into the matches as favorites as they are the reigning champions of the world in the Twenty20 format.
Ireland coach, Phil Simmons, in the meanwhile, says while his team will enter the series as outsiders, they will be putting their best foot forward.
“The expectation when we go anywhere is to try and win and play good cricket,” Phil Simmons said yesterday.
“We are going to try and be on top of our game at all times and if they (West Indies) slip up then we’ll try and pull in.”
Wed 19: 1st Twenty20 International – Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica (7 pm Irish Time)
Fri 21: 2nd Twenty20 International – Sabina Park (7 pm Irish Time)
Sun 23: Only One-day International – Sabina Park (1.30pm Irish Time)
You can read the article in full here on the Jamaica Gleaner website.
Jamaica
Captains Sammy & Porterfield in Jamaica © WICB
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Connaught
