Sammy Hails West Indies’ Composure After Dramatic Kingston Victory

 Daren Sammy praised West Indies for playing “thoughtful and smart cricket” after their thrilling five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka national cricket team in the decisive third T20I at Sabina Park, a result that secured the series for the hosts.

Chasing 170, West Indies found themselves under pressure at 110 for 4 after 16 overs, needing 60 runs from the final four overs. However, composed finishing from Sherfane Rutherford and Rovman Powell shifted momentum before Jason Holder smashed three massive sixes in the 19th over to take the game away from Sri Lanka.

Sammy highlighted his team’s calmness under pressure as the biggest positive from the win.“Being under pressure and having the nerve, calmness, and cricket intelligence to do what was required to get over the line was most pleasing,” Sammy said after the match. He also credited the bowling unit for setting up the victory, with special praise reserved for Shamar Joseph, who delivered a career-best spell of 5 for 33.

Joseph was named both Player of the Match and Player of the Series after finishing with 11 wickets across three games, including figures of 3/29, 3/32, and 5/33.

Speaking after the match, Joseph kept it simple about his success: “I just enjoy taking wickets. That’s all I can say. ”The pacer made decisive breakthroughs in two crucial phases—first removing Pathum Nissanka and Pavan Rathnayake in consecutive deliveries, and later striking three times in the final over to restrict Sri Lanka’s total.

Sammy also emphasized Holder’s influence beyond just his explosive finishing, noting his leadership and experience on the field, especially in guiding younger bowlers during pressure moments.

The series win was particularly significant for West Indies, marking their first bilateral T20I series victory at home since defeating South Africa 3-0 in 2024.

Looking ahead, Sammy said the team is still evolving as they build toward the 2028 T20 World Cup in Australia.

“There are still areas we need to improve, but today showed character, composure, and maturity. That’s something we can build on,” he said.

West Indies will now shift focus to ODI and Test cricket before returning to T20Is later this year for their tour of India.

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