Despite the West Indies’ disappointing campaign at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India, Dr Kishore Shallow has reassured fans that there are no immediate plans to dismiss head coach Daren Sammy.
The Caribbean side had hoped to claim their first T20 World Cup title in 10 years and their third overall, but they were eliminated at the Super Eights phase for the second consecutive tournament, sparking questions about Sammy’s long-term tenure.
Contract runs through 2027
Speaking on iSports i95.5 FM, Dr Shallow emphasized that Sammy’s contract remains secure, extending beyond the upcoming ICC 50-over World Cup in 2027.
“At this point Daren has a contract that runs beyond this World Cup. His contract goes up until at least the 50-over World Cup, that is the current status,” Dr Shallow stated.
While the CWI president confirmed there will be a performance assessment of the T20 World Cup showing, he made it clear that there is no immediate consideration for termination.
Dr Shallow candidly admitted that the West Indies fell short of their ultimate goal of lifting the trophy.
“Ultimately we didn’t go to the World Cup to reach the Super Eights. We went to win the World Cup and we didn’t win, so we can’t say that we are comfortable with that. I’m certainly very disappointed that we didn’t win,” he said.
However, he highlighted that the team showed encouraging signs, winning five out of seven matches and competing strongly in most contests. “So, it was a credible performance, but still we wanted to win,” he added.
Assessment and path forward
Dr Shallow confirmed that post-tournament discussions will focus on understanding what went wrong and identifying areas for improvement.
“I certainly took note of the fact that we showed some improvements in all areas; the matches that we won we did so convincingly and barring the one game against South Africa we really competed. There’s work to be done, and we will look at the reasons why we didn’t win the tournament and try to identify those areas for improvement going forward,” he said.
He also stressed that players like Shai Hope and Sammy himself are fully aware of the team’s shortcomings and are equally motivated to improve.
By maintaining Sammy in his position for now, Dr Shallow is signaling a long-term approach aimed at building consistency and strengthening the team ahead of future international competitions. While fans may have hoped for immediate action following another early exit, the CWI president believes measured evaluation and targeted improvements will better serve the team in the years ahead.
