Darren Sammy was a picture of both relief and delight after batting West Indies to a memorable win over Australia in a Group 2 match here on Friday.
It was a battle for bragging rights and the West Indies bagged them in style in a high-scoring thriller. While Chris Gayle 35-ball 53 set the base for West Indies’ chase, Sammy’s unbeaten 34 off 13 guided the Caribbean side home.
“First of all, I must thank the Almighty for this wonderful victory,” he said when asked if it was a fitting reply for James Faulkner, who had expressed his dislike for the West Indians. “Like I said in the pre-match press conference, talk is cheap. Cricket is a game of action; you could talk all you want, but it is the action that happens on the field that matters. West Indies acted today (on Friday). It feels very good to come home. It was not an easy win. We fought for it. That win will definitely hurt them (Aussies). I guess Faulkner would not like us anymore,” he remarked.
Australian skipper George Bailey wasn’t too amused with West Indies’ exaggerated celebrations after the match. “There is an art to winning and there is an art to losing,” he said.