Only West Indies can beat the West Indies, Sammy quotes Bravo

West Indies captain Darren Sammy gestures towards teammates during the World T20 cricket tournament semi-final match between India and West Indies at The Wankhede Cricket Stadium in Mumbai on March 31, 2016

Everybody has that 'bubble.' The Indian team lives in one big and mighty 'bubble.' Most teams do, but the West Indies are as refreshing as they come. They have been through a lot but then, they have turned negatives to positives to spur them forwards.
 And the West Indians have been taking that approach when it comes to the World Twenty20. They have been labelled as T20 merchants, mercenaries, but it has only brought them even closer.
And they have had the results to show for it. They have now formed their own 'bubble' that is impregnable and West Indies captain Darren Sammy gave an insight into the mindset that the team are in when quoted his teammate Dwayne Bravo.
 "One of the senior players made a comment in one of our team meetings, I think it was DJ Bravo, 'the only thing that could beat is ourselves' and we believe that," Sammy said.
"We could only defeat ourselves. Once we do what could do well nobody can defeat us and that is the mentality we take forward against England," he sounded out.
This was a show not involving India but there were hoards of journalists when Sammy spoke. And he was his usual chirpy self.
Someone asked him about the strip that will be laid out at the Eden Gardens and he joked: "Just want 22 yards long and six feet wide."
He then added: "Whatever they give us, we'll play on. It's a final."
Asked about all the angst and anger and how the team will channel it, going into the final, Sammy replied: "The same we have been doing all this time; this passion, these emotions, this anger, as you said, what these people have been saying.this has always been there from the inception of the tournament.
"We have studied their players, they have a set of match winners. We are not going to take them for granted. But after we have done that we have shifted focus back on us and the good things we could do. And the first thing is you have to stop us from hitting boundaries that has been difficult for oppositions once we get in that swing" he added.
Sammy also reflected on what has been an incredible journey.
"It's been a tough journey. A lot happened before the tournament, and I think . I believe that everything always happens for a reason. I think the pre-tournament shenanigans brought us really closer together as a team. I don't know if you've heard the coach say it, the players have said it - it feels like it's us against everybody else.
"We came here after winning the tournament in 2012, a hailstorm knocked us out in Bangladesh, the year before we were in the semi-finals and I think in 2009 . its a format we've been consistent in but every year nobody gives us a chance. All these things brought this team together. I think the fact that a few of us are getting old now, we are aware that it could be the last for a few key players and that brought us closer;  we formed our own little circle. We just wanted to take six steps. It's a six-step process to the Cup and we've taken five steps. We took a big one against India, we had a bit of a skid on the way which kind of knocked us off but we got up. We're left with one step and we as a group we believe in each other, we enjoy each other's success and we think about ourselves lifting up that cup tomorrow," added Sammy.
james@khaleejtimes.com