I told my team they are 10 runs short: Darren Sammy

West Indies beat India at the Wankhede Stadium to qualify for the World T20 finals and with that a billion hopes were broken of watching their team play the final, win the final and lift the World T20 trophy for the second time. The Indian team looked dejected, they had fought hard to be here and did well for most part of the game apart from those no balls and a few overs from the spinners that went for plenty. The West Indies players and the crowd have all the reasons to be excited, there were clouds looming over their participation in the tournament but look what they have done here. Both the men’s and women’s team will play the final at the Eden Garden’s on Sunday.

Indian skipper had little going his way on the field tonight, with dew coming in his primary weapon spinners were out of the equation and he only trusted his ace Ravichandran Ashwin for just two over that tells it all. At the post match presentation, MS Dhoni said: “I knew it was a bad toss to lose. The dew starts setting in during the second innings. Our first few overs weren’t bad but then spinners came in and they didn’t have much on offer. Our spinners don’t have a history of bowling well with the wet ball. One of the World Cups, we were knocked out because we didn’t bowl well with the wet ball. Other than the two no-balls I’m not very disappointed with the bowlers. There wasn’t much on offer. I wanted the fast bowlers to make a game out of it and give the part-timers a 5 run cushion and then see whatever happens at the death. The conditions were tough for them. It’s a hard format. Usually the games are quite close. Only one or two games you will cruise through the opposition. Usually it gets down to the final over. Yes it is draining. But we are used to it. In the IPL, we face many such games which go till the end.”

It all turned gold for the West Indian captain. His side has played fantastic cricket in the tournament and is deservingly going to Kolkata to play the finals. Darren Sammy said: “We knew it was going to be a massive step, our fifth step in this tournament against a very good Indian team. I must commend the whole team. They came at us in the Powerplay, we stuck to it. I knew it was a 200 wicket. Halfway in the game, I told my team they are 10 runs short. Even when we lost Gayle, the way Simmons and Charles played and Russell put the finishing touches, I’m very proud. I was praying to win the toss, and surprisingly I have won 5 out of 5. We knew it was a chasing ground. We were inspired by the under-19 team [that won the World Cup] and the ladies earlier today. Now we have 2 West Indian teams in the semi-final. It means a lot for the people in the Caribbean islands. We said before the tournament started, Chris is our best T20 player but we have 15 match-winners. Today Charles, Simmons and Russell took responsibility against a very good Indian team. We just believed. I can’t describe it in one word. At the starting of the game, we said this is ours for the taking. I’m very excited. One step left. On Sunday we have to take that step the best way we can.”

If there was one man who was the luckiest tonight it was him. Simmons survived not just once but thrice, being caught off no-balls twice and then when Jadeja caught him in the deep his foot touched the ropes and it was a six. He won the Man of the match award for his brilliant knock. Lendl Simmons said: “I slept over the flight [referring to his jet lag]. I got a call in the morning after the Afghanistan game to come over, if I am fit. I came under pressure and had come here for a reason – to deliver and I delivered. I enjoy batting here. The fast outfield also helps. Yes [rating it as one of his best innings]. In a tough situation. I didn’t play in the final [World T20 2012] in Sri Lanka and I almost missed out on this one. 180-190 is a par score and with the power-hitters we have, the guys believed we could chase it. I got three chances and things went my way and I cashed in.”

How did the match pan out? – India v West Indies World T20 2nd Semi-Final Review: Lendl Simmons powers Windies into the final