Chris Gayle, Darren Sammy blast West Indies Cricket Board after lifting second ICC World Twenty20 title

Darren Sammy and Chris Gayle said the West Indies cricket team was disrespected by their own board and dedicated the ICC World Twenty20 triumph to their fans.



West Indies skipper Darren Sammy and star batsman Chris Gayle slammed the West Indies Cricket Board after lifting the ICC World Twenty20 for a record second time at the Eden Gardens Sunday night.

 Chasing 156, West Indies were in trouble, needing to score more than 10-runs-an-over for the last 10 overs of their chase. But Marlon Samuels held firm and finished with an unbeaten 85 before Carlos Brathwaite slammed four successive sixes when they needed 19 off the last over to put it past England.

 

West Indies, plagued by serious issues with their cricket administrators, have failed to do anything substantial in the other two formats of the game. Therefore, lifting the World T20 title for the second time meant a lot to their merry band of players, who did not have a uniform days before the start of the tournament.

But West Indies started the tournament with a bang as Gayle hammered the fastest hundred in the history of the World T20. Thereafter, they defeated Sri Lanka, South Africa, lost an inconsequential game to Afghanistan and then stunned pre-tournament favourites and hosts India.

Sammy, the inspirational T20 captain, took the lead in the post-match presentation ceremony and took the board to task with some strong words.

"When we started our journey, we were wondering if we would be part of this tournament. A lot of things were happening. We were disrespected by our board. To come out and play this sort of cricket in front of passionate fans was amazing.

"The trouble our manager got into to get us into this uniform was just beyond words. This win is for the people in the Caribbean. Everybody is the West Indies are champions. This is for the CHAMPIONS!" an emotionally charged-up Sammy said.

Sammy reiterated that he was angry after West Indies were branded a team without any brains by respected commentator Mark Nicholas.

"But all of us came together, these 15 men put adversity aside and played this type of cricket in front of such passionate fans. It was tremendous. I want to thank the coaching team and our coach Phil Simmons. We had a new manager in this tournament. I will celebrate tonight with my players and the coaching staff.

"We don't get selected for one-day cricket and I don't know when we will play T20s again. We are going to celebrate tonight," Sammy said.

Gayle, who failed to fire in the semi-final and final, was thrilled to bits with the victory. Like his captain before him, Gayle got out on the front foot and slammed the WICB.

"A lot has been said in the captain's speech. We even planned to go on strike but we could not have done this by striking. We needed to give the fans some cricket. We have to put things back in place," Gayle said after the match.

 

West Indies had won the tournament, defeating hosts Sri Lanka in the final back in 2012. Their players are much sought after by T20 clubs around the world. Once the IPL starts Saturday, the likes of Gayle, Sammy, Samuels Lendl Simmons and Dwayne Bravo will be seen in action for different teams.