DUBLIN, Eire — With the luxurious Irish outfields awaiting their first crack of leather-based on willow this summer season, the West Indies cricket workforce has touched down in Dublin, energized and united in function.
After a five-month hiatus from worldwide competitors, the Males in Maroon are able to launch their 2025 marketing campaign with an ODI sequence in opposition to hosts Eire, starting Might 21.
Head coach Daren Sammy, returning to the helm with steely focus, exuded confidence following the squad’s first coaching session. “To start with, it’s good to be again on the job. We haven’t performed since December, so it’s nice to see the blokes desirous to go,” Sammy mentioned, his tone underscoring a renewed sense of urgency and ambition. “Our mission hasn’t modified. Every little thing we’ve been constructing since 2023 is main as much as the 2027 World Cup, and we’re nonetheless on that quest.”
Respect for Eire, readiness for the problem
Eire might not be ranked among the many international giants of ODI cricket, however Sammy is beneath no phantasm in regards to the problem that lies forward. He issued a transparent warning that the West Indies usually are not taking the Irish evenly — particularly on their house turf.
“Eire has been very aggressive over time, particularly in opposition to us, so we’re not taking something evenly,” he emphasised. “It’s good that we’re right here a few days early to get acclimatised, and to this point, I like what I see within the nets.”
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That early arrival has allowed the Caribbean facet to shake off the rust and lock into their sport plan — one which balances the burden of long-term World Cup preparation with the short-term demand of speedy outcomes.
New faces, huge alternatives
The squad enters this sequence with out the companies of Sherfane Rutherford, one of many standout performers in ODIs final yr. Whereas his absence is notable, Sammy sees it as a golden alternative for rising expertise to make their mark.
“We’ll miss Sherfane. He was one in every of our ODI gamers of the yr, and his contributions at No. 5 have been large,” the coach acknowledged. “However this provides another person an opportunity to step up. This squad is filled with all-rounders who convey totally different expertise, and we’re right here to win.”
From power-hitters to artful spinners, the composition of this West Indies unit displays a dynamic and fashionable method — one which Sammy has championed since taking on the reins.
Fortress Caribbean, now conquering overseas
In latest occasions, the West Indies have established themselves as a formidable power in house ODIs. However for Sammy, true evolution means replicating that dominance on international soil.
“We’ve made the Caribbean a fortress in ODIs, however now we need to win abroad, too,” he acknowledged firmly. “That is our first sequence of 2025, and Eire are a troublesome facet at house. However we consider we will come right here and win.”
With a summer season tour of England looming, the Eire sequence is greater than only a warm-up — it’s a litmus check of readiness, resilience, and resolve. For Sammy and his costs, the highway to the 2027 World Cup begins right here, within the cool winds of Dublin.
