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India is the team to beat says two-time T20 World Cup-winning captain Daren Sammy

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India has made it to the knockout stage of every World event in cricket starting from the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 and two times T20 World Cup winning-captain West Indies Daren Sammy believes that for any team to be able to win the upcoming T20 World Cup in UAE and Oman, they would have to go past India once again. 

Stressing upon the fact that the Indian players come into international cricket with a lot of experience, Sammy said, “India is the team to beat. The experience, their T20 players come into international cricket with, whether it is from India's domestic T20 cricket or the IPL, you see all the countries go there and get the experience.”

“Apart from the World Cup, I think this is if not, the most pressure situation (tournament), where the players will be under and India has that formula,” added St. Lucia born while speaking in a video uploaded by the ICC on the occasion of the revealing of the schedule of T20 World Cup 2021. 

Recounting his own experience how important it is for every team to go past India in every tournament, Sammy said, “In 2016, when we left our homes, me, the coach and all the guys said -- in order to win this tournament, you will have to go through India. Whatever stage it is, you will have to go through India, whether it is the final, the semi-final.”

Though India is the official host of the tournament, it will be played in UAE and Oman. Speaking on whether or not it will be disadvantageous to the hosts, Sammy said, “Yes, it has shifted to the UAE, but don’t forget, before that, all the Indian players would have completed the IPL and got used to these conditions.” 

“It is not surprising to me that the Indian cricket board chose this place, at this time, to complete the IPL and it will also benefit the other teams. But you will have to go through India in any tournament,” Sammy concluded his argument as to why India are the favourites for the tournament. 

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