Sammy Confident of Player Participation for Windies Amid T20 Franchise Allure

West Indies men’s head coach Daren Sammy has revealed his vision for managing players amidst the allure of global T20 tournaments. 

He spoke with former Zimbabwe international turned commentator Mpumelelo “Pommie” Mbangwa, on this week’s edition of his Mbangwa Media podcast. Sammy expressed confidence that Cricket West Indies (CWI) can work with T20 franchise stars to build the strongest possible regional teams.

“We understand the scheme of cricket now, how franchise cricket has really dominated over the last decade or so,” said Sammy. “And especially for us West Indians, it has been more difficult than any of the other boards, because our players have been sought after across the globe.

“I don’t like to use the word control because I don’t think we can. But I think it’s with good communication, good planning, planning for the future, giving guys time [that we will be successful].”

Sammy noted that the leadership team at CWI is striving to keep players satisfied while simultaneously providing them with opportunities to express themselves on the global stage. The financial allure of lucrative, exciting, and fast-paced T20 leagues has possibly affected West Indian cricket the most, given the white-ball skills showcased by players from the Caribbean.

In 2024 alone, Trinidadian top-order batsman Nicholas Pooran had an exceptional year in the 20-over format, scoring 2331 runs across 74 innings. This achievement set a new record for the most runs by a batter in a single calendar year in T20s, surpassing Mohammad Rizwan’s previous record of 2036 runs in 2021.

Pooran’s countryman Akeal Hosein also had a stellar record in 2024. In December 2024, Hosein ascended to the top of the ICC T20I bowling rankings. His exceptional performance for his franchise teams and the Men in Maroon was instrumental in this achievement.

Other young players on the rise, including the likes of Jewel Andrew and Shamar Springer, will undoubtedly intrigue scouts from franchises across the globe, further placing pressure on Windies selectors.

Presently, 21 West Indies players are involved in the DP World International League T20 (ILT20) which starts this weekend in the United Arab Emirates. The six-team league includes among its numbers Test players like fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, One Day International captain Shai Hope, and T20 International captain Rovman Powell.

However, Sammy remains unperturbed, given some basic ground rules he has laid down. The Saint Lucian is no stranger to what has often been highlighted as a battle between international and franchise cricket, as his rise to the captaincy of the Men in Maroon was almost simultaneous with the rise in popularity of these global cash cow leagues. 

Sammy noted that he has set clear demarcations for players, including a mandate for them not to miss One Day International series as the Windies attempt to banish their missed qualification for the 2023 World Cup from memory. The Men in Maroon are languishing at 10th in the ODI rankings and are looking to avoid having to play qualifiers to get back into cricket’s premier tournament.

“I’ve told them nobody’s missing any ODI. We always want our strongest team for ODI qualifications. Because you actually have to qualify,” he said. “We’ve gotta get up in the rankings. However, with the T20 format, we’ve now moved to number three in the world. It’s a little easier. We have more players in that pool who are performing.”

A two-time winner of the ICC T20 World Cup as captain, Sammy went on to thank administrators for their confidence in him, noting:

“Kudos to this new establishment, working together and not against, has been the mantra.”

The West Indies ODI and T20I head coach since mid-2023, the former all-format captain will soon have to manage these challenges for the regional Test team as well, as he takes over the reins following a series against Pakistan later this month.