TAROUBA, Trinidad – Fresh from orchestrating one of the most significant victories in recent West Indies cricket history, head coach Daren Sammy made it clear he is tuning out the detractors.
The Caribbean side’s crushing 202-run victory over Pakistan in the decisive third One-Day International (ODI) on Tuesday not only secured a 2-1 series win but also shattered a 34-year drought against their Asian rivals. It marked their first home ODI series victory over Pakistan since 1988 and their first series win of 2025.
Yet, the achievement comes in the shadow of a difficult start to the year—one that saw the West Indies swept 3-0 by England in both ODIs and T20Is, trounced by Australia in Tests and T20Is, and edged 2-1 by Pakistan in the T20I series.
The string of defeats ignited a storm of criticism, including calls from former West Indies greats for Sammy’s dismissal.
Eyes on the goal, not the detractors
In a post-match press conference, Sammy was unfazed.
“I know what I’m trying to do, what we, as a team, the goal we set out for ourselves,” Sammy said. “I don’t equate one person or a couple persons who have a platform talking about West Indies cricket as the opinions of all these fans you see coming out to watch. You see what a victory does for the West Indian people.”
He pointed to the thousands in the stands—fans without social media megaphones but whose loyalty is steadfast—as proof of the team’s enduring support.
“For me, understanding the purpose, understanding why I’m here, why my team is here; and we put our heads down and come every day and try and put in an honest day’s work,” he continued. “I’ve never actually been one to listen to noise… everything I’ve done early in my career has prepared me for this.”
Building for the long game
While Sammy has clear ambitions for West Indies cricket, he was candid about the challenges and timelines involved.
“The reality of West Indies cricket is, we were number 10 in the world in ODI cricket. We’ve been number eight in Test cricket for donkey-odd years. If anybody expected a new coach… to work miracles, then Jesus would be coming tomorrow, but that’s not going to happen,” he quipped.
Instead, Sammy is placing his faith in a structured plan, patience, and consistent hard work, noting that success will require cooperation from all levels of the sport.
“What we can do with the ability and skills that we have is work the best that we can, and that’s what we’re out here doing.”
