Darren Sammy rebuked by West Indies cricket board over post-match comments
The West Indies cricket board reportedly appear to have taken exception to skipper Darren Sammy's comments following their epic victory in the final of the 2016 World Twenty20 against England.
A statement released by the board titled 'WICB President has high praises for World Twenty20 Organisers' included in it, their reaction on the entire Sammy episode. It stated, "The President would like to however apologise for what could be deemed inappropriate comments made by the West Indies' male captain, Darren Sammy, in a post-match interview and would like to apologise on behalf of the WICB to the millions of fans who witnessed. The President has pledged to enquire the reason and will have the matter addressed."
The West Indies skipper's emotional rant against the board while speaking post the match highlighted the kind of issues they faced going into the tournament. Sammy had also expressed his disappointment at the WICB not having conveyed anything to them in terms of providing motivation prior to the final.
Before the official statement was released, the West Indies board president Dave Cameron had posted a sarcastic tweet in response to Sammy's comments which said, "When is the last time a critic paid one of your bills? Always remember that when you start to give them your energy." This was a clear indication that the skipper's words had not gone down too well with Cameron.
The statement from the WICB also sought to throw light on the problem surrounding the unavailability of players for national duties in lieu of their commitments to domestic T20 leagues.
"We are fully aware of the financial rewards on offer in the lucrative international T20 leagues, but we believe deeply in the importance of cricket to the people of the region and of West Indies cricket’s place in world cricket. It is therefore a priority to have all of our players competing and available for selection," it mentioned.
The victory of the West Indies team in the 6th edition of the World Twenty20 seems to have sparked a new chapter in the ongoing tussle between the board and the players.