'It was challenging for all the batters out there' - Daren Sammy on Nassau County pitch for T20 World Cup 2024

The Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York saw several low-scoring games and batters being hit on their arms due to the variable bounce, drawing criticism from several cricket experts and fans around the world. It could be considered miraculous that none of the players sustained injuries throughout the eight matches played during the current edition of the T20 World Cup.

On the eve of West Indies' Super Eights clash against the USA, head coach Daren Sammy jovially remarked that he personally wouldn't favour playing a match in New York, citing the challenges it presents for batters. However, he emphasized that the expansion of cricket's reach and visibility in the USA has been successful in his view. Sammy expressed optimism that the USA's presence in the Super Eights stage will further amplify the game's popularity and attract new fans from that territory.

Also Read: ICC issues statement on Nassau pitch amid heavy criticism

“I saw the pitch in the US and I would definitely not want to play a game in New York (laughs) I will tell you that. It was challenging for all the batters out there. But if you look at the bigger picture, the whole idea of the US and the Caribbean co-hosting was to broaden the game, and what I saw in the US was encouraging. Obviously, the USA are in the Super 8s and that'll grow the game, bring new fans from a new region,” stated Sammy during a media interaction as quoted by India Today.

Our destiny is in our own hands: Sammy

Following England resoundingly defeating the West Indies in their opening Super Eights clash, the two-time World Cup-winning captain remarked that while their primary purpose was to implement strategies honed over the past year for this tournament, they encountered formidable opposition in qualitatively strong teams. Their recent match was against the resurgent defending champions of the T20 World Cup, who outperformed the West Indies. However, Sammy emphasized that this by no means signified the end of their tournament, affirming that their fate remained within their control.

Also Read: 'I'm representing my parents and my Jamaican heritage'—Steven Taylor on playing Super 8 clash against West Indies

"Our main objective, everything that we've done from last year to prepare for this tournament, no one said it was going to be easy. There are some good teams in this tournament, and we came up against the defending champions, and they got the better of us. But, that doesn't mean our tournament's over. Our destiny is in our own hands,” added Sammy.