The West Indies won their second World T20 title after a brilliant chase which included Carlos Brathwaite scoring four consecutive sixes in the last over. It’s extra-special to win after overcoming adversity and their skipper Darren Sammy didn’t mince his words in the post-match presentation.

b’Darren Sammy and Chris Gayle start the celebrations. Reuters’

It started off on a religious tone

We have a pastor in the team in Andre Fletcher, he keeps on praying. We are a praying team.

Moved onto the coach and players

I’ve said we have 15 match-winners. Nobody gave us a chance but every game somebody stepped up and took responsibility. I personally also want to thank the coaching staff, coach Phil, he’s been through a lot, and to come here and the way he’s coached the team, he’s just brilliant.

Then the difficulties of even procuring a kit for the team…

We had a new manager in this tournament in Rawl Lewis, he had never managed any team before. He came here, we were at a camp in Dubai, but we had no uniforms, no printed … he left Dubai, went to Kolkata, that’s where he started. The trouble he went to, to get us in this uniform … I got to give credit to the entire team here, it was us in our own little circle, this win we dedicate it to all our fans in the Caribbean.

The dig at the West Indies Cricket Board

I’m yet to hear from our own cricket board. That is very disappointing.

And finally… 

I don’t know when I’m going to be playing with these guys again because we don’t get selected for one-day cricket. We don’t know when we’re going to be playing T20. So this win, I want to thank you my team, I want to thank you coaching staff … everybody know West Indies are champions!

Watch the full speech

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPN96lldJc4

Feature image source: Reuters