West Indies coach Daren Sammy praises team's performance ahead of final T20

West Indies cricket team head coach Daren Sammy expressed delight with his players' performances ahead of the fifth and final T20 match against India. The crucial final encounter is scheduled to take place at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, October 17, 2026.

Sammy addressed the media on Friday, October 16, 2026, noting that competing against the defending world champions would be a significant achievement if they manage to become the first visiting team to defeat India in a home bilateral T20I series since February 2019. He highlighted that the team faced challenges including pay cuts before the series began, yet they continue to bring entertainment and send a strong message that will provide confidence ahead of the 2027 World Cup qualifiers.

The coach emphasized that key to their success has been the bowlers' execution beyond the PowerPlays, noting that keeping momentum and restricting India below the required rate in the previous match was vital. He also mentioned that taking 10 wickets in each of the last two games is a positive sign under tough bowling conditions, while stressing the need to focus on stopping players like Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma when they are performing well.