'All my soldiers are ready,' Darren Sammy sends a warning ahead of India vs West Indies, Super 8 match in Kolkata

Kolkata: Ahead of their mega clash at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, which will eventually complete the final puzzle of the semi-final fixtures of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, West Indies head coach Darren Sammy warned India with a fun yet confident press conference on Saturday. The winner of this match will reach the semi-finals, which makes this fixture more than just a Super 8 game at the heart of City of Joy.

History does not always repeat itself

Reflecting on the West Indies' storied history at this venue, most notably the ICC Men's T20 World Cup triumph, Sammy disregarded the idea of history simply repeating itself.

Instead, he has framed tomorrow’s virtual quarter-final against India as a fresh, high-stakes "showdown" between two of the world's most dangerous T20 units.

Sammy, who had lifted the T20 title at the same venue, stressed that to win a tournament of this volume, every team eventually has to "go through the defending champions, India. And, for that, he believes his "soldiers" are fully ready to take on India.

Read also: T20 World Cup 2026: Where will the semi-finals be played if Pakistan does not qualify? Where will India play if they qualify?

The second favourites will face a sea of blue at Eden

While talking about the mental aspect of the game, Sammy admitted that the atmosphere of playing in a country like India is unique.

While the West Indies have long enjoyed the status of being a "neutral favourite" among local fans whenever they have visited India, the head coach is well aware that the 60,000-plus crowd tomorrow, along with 1.4 billion Indians, will be firmly behind the Men in Blue.

He noted that while fans in the hotel lobbies remain polite, there is a newfound "suspicious" look in their eyes, recognising that the West Indies have the firepower to knock the home team out.

Sammy remains unfazed by the prospect of playing the "villain," stating that the focus within the camp is at an all-time high and that his players are thriving on the pressure of a virtual quarter-final.

Read also: 'We need to focus...'- Hardik Pandya reveals strategy for Zimbabwe clash in T20 World Cup 2026

"The pitch looked a bit dry"

The Eden Gardens have always been a talking point whenever India have played here. This time, before the 26 hours of the match, Sammy's first thought on the pitch was that it was dry.

"I thought it looked dry. But we have about 26 hours to go for the match. So, it can change a bit. However, we are not worried about the dew either. We can not control that," Sammy said in the Press Conference.

How to watch the India vs West Indies, T20 World Cup 2026 match?

Cricket fans in India can watch the India vs West Indies, T20 World Cup 2026 match on JioHotstar, accessible via OTTplay Premium.