Mumbai: West Indies head coach Darren Sammy said “the team is in good shape” on the eve of their Super Eight Group One match against Zimbabwe at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday.Push boundaries with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!Sammy was in a good mood on Sunday afternoon as the players practiced in the nets for nearly two and a half hours. West Indies won all four games to finish top of the group, with different players contributing at crucial moments.
The Maroon men may have struggled in Tests and ODIs, but they are targeting T20 cricket as their players are some of the hottest in major franchise leagues around the world. They won the T20 World Cup in 2012 and 2016. But their form has dipped in the past two World Cups as they won just two games in 2022 and 2024. They also lost to New Zealand, Nepal, Afghanistan and South Africa in their preparations for the World Cup.Back in India, West Indies won their last title in 2016 with Sammy as captain and the team is in a happy space as most of their players have played in the IPL and are therefore familiar with the conditions. The Winds also showed the mental toughness necessary to secure a victory with almost nothing the team could separate. The two-time champions are content with their underdog label and have progressed through a tricky group in which every team has won at least one game.Their secret weapon was the match-winning performances of various players in the group stages. Himron Heitmeyer (64, 36b) and Romario Shepherd (5/20) helped them beat Scotland. Sheppard has missed the past two games due to injury but is available for the match against Zimbabwe. A collective bowling effort led by Sherfane Rutherford (76*, 42b) and Gudakesh Motie (3/33) helped them defeat England. Jason Holder (4/27) and Shai Hope (61*, 44 birds) performed well in the win over Nepal before Hope (74, 46 birds) and Shai Hope (4/30) helped them beat Italy.
Zimbabwe also enter the Super Eights in strong form after finishing top of their group, including wins over Australia and Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. They missed out on qualifying for the previous edition but arrived in India full of confidence. Zimbabwe has been a highlight of this World Cup, as has the performance of emerging nations, with neutral teams preparing for their results. Led by inspirational captain Sikandar Razathey found match-winners in the likes of young Brian Bennett, who is yet to be dismissed in the tournament and played crucial innings in wins over Australia and Sri Lanka. Zimbabwe’s bowling is also a key strength; Blessings to Muzarabani The team leads with nine wickets so far, with support from Graeme Cramer and Brad Evans.The last time West Indies and Zimbabwe met was in Australia in 2022, with West Indies winning by 31 runs. The challenge for Zimbabwe, however, will be to quickly adapt to the conditions at the Wankhede, with the pitch providing assistance to the bowlers.
