India vs West Indies 2016: St.Vincent and Grenadines Prime Minister slams WICB for Darren Sammy's exclusion from the T20 series
Days after cricketer Darren Sammy was sacked as the captain of the West Indies cricket team from the forthcoming T20 series against India in the United States of America, the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and Grenadines has backed the all-rounder for the harsh treatment on him.
Earlier this year, West Indies won the World T20 in India by defeating England in a nail-biting finish at the iconic Eden Gardens, in Kolkata. The West Indies are currently playing hosts to India for a 4-test series which do not feature big names such as Darren Sammy, Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo.
During the post-match conference at the World T20, Sammy made a bitter statement towards the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) which might be the reason for the internal feud.
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As per the reports, the Prime Minister of St.Vincent and Grenadines Ralph. E. Gonsalves sent a letter to the WICB seeking justice for his fellow countryman. Regarding the 30-second phone call which the WICB made to Darren Sammy to inform him that he was not part of the team anymore.
Gonsalves stated,“I find this shabby treatment of Mr. Sammy to be unacceptable; indeed, I am sure all right-thinking persons are extremely dissatisfied at your unceremonious and summary dismissal of Mr. Sammy as captain and player.
“You simply cannot treat a former Captain of the West Indies Test Team and a successful captain of two successive World Cup T-20 Championships with disdain! Further, your sacking of Mr. Sammy, and the manner of his termination, on the eve of a Test match in Mr. Sammy’s country, St Lucia, to be played at the stadium which bears his name, display breathtaking insensitivity.”
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The on-going third test of India’s tour is being played in a stadium named after Darren Sammy and the national leader feels it was very insensitive to drop the two-time World T20 winning captain on the eve of such a match.
Meanwhile, there have been several protests outside the Darren Sammy National Stadium during the Test match. Gonsalves has also said that the President of WICB should apologise to Sammy and also the people in the Caribbean for their unprofessional behaviour.
“Elemental respect and common decency demand that once the Selectors had decided to remove Mr. Sammy as captain and as player of the T-20 Team, he ought to have been accorded the courtesy of a dignified face-to-face meeting with you, and his support enlisted for the transitioning to the new captain” said the Prime Minister stating that the former West Indian captain needed more respect.
As the Test series concludes, India will play two T20 Internationals in Florida on the 27th and 28th August respectively.