West Indies head coach Daren Sammy has outlined how his team's focus on bowling execution beyond the Powerplay has kept them competitive in the five-match T20I series against India. The series remained locked at 2-2 ahead of the fifth and final T20I on October 17, 2026 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Sammy reflected on West Indies' achievement in winning more than two games on Indian soil, a rare accomplishment for the Caribbean side. Speaking to media ahead of the decider, the head coach emphasised that competing against India, the defending T20 World Cup champions, represented significant progress for his squad.
"I think it’s the first time we’ve won more than two games on Indian soil in 20 years. For us, success is progress. In spite of all the challenges that we face, if we could come here and compete against the best team in the world, the defending champions," Sammy said, as quoted by Cricbuzz.
Restricting momentum in the middle overs
West Indies have restricted India in the middle overs across the series, particularly in the third and fourth T20Is. The bowling unit has demonstrated precision and tactical discipline once the field spreads beyond the Powerplay phase.
"I think the clear plans that we’ve had, bowling to them, all the games, we’ve been able to pull it back after the Powerplay. With the field spread, the guys are a little bit more precise in their execution. That’s been the key for us staying in the series," Sammy said.
Momentum control has emerged as the defining factor in West Indies' competitive performances. Sammy explained how limiting damage in the opening six overs directly influences the outcome of T20 matches, where early acceleration can prove decisive.
"Once we can limit the damage done in the Powerplay, because in T20 cricket, momentum is a hell of a thing. If you have the momentum coming out of the Powerplay and you can keep it, you put yourself in a better chance of winning. What our bowlers have been able to do in the last two games is restrict them. I think the game before we restricted them to under 10 runs an over (136/9 at 9.71 an over). And I think last game we kept them below the required rate (143/7 at 10.59 an over, when the asking rate was 11.78 at the end of the Powerplay), even when they got to a flyer," Sammy said.
Roston Chase has emerged as West Indies' standout bowler throughout the series. The left-arm spinner has taken six wickets, with four of those scalps coming in the crucial middle overs between the seventh and fifteenth overs, where he has maintained an economy rate of 6.80.
"We’ve managed to get ten wickets in two games. That’s a good sign when the wickets are very tough for bowlers. The execution outside the Powerplay has been spot on, so we just need to continue to focus on ways of stopping Samson when he’s flowing and Abhishek when that time comes," Sammy said.
"To me, he’s been the best bowler in the series so far. The way he continues to keep us in the game by applying pressure, it makes the job a little easier. I think that’s one of the reasons why we’ve been able to pull the game back after the Powerplay. Roston limits the damage sometimes in the Powerplay and outside. Hopefully he continues. Sometimes he may not get the results, but at the other end the results may come," he added.
Bowling execution and technical precision
Sammy outlined the technical adjustments West Indies bowlers have made to succeed on Indian pitches where margins for error remain minimal. Sequencing deliveries and identifying weak spots against individual batters have become central to the team's bowling strategy.
"I think, stay in the present. Focus on the ball you have. What has happened before, there's nothing you can do. Just keep the focus on the next ball. It's not about whether the pitch is good or not; it's about executing. On these pitches, the margin for error is quite slim," Sammy said.
"Your good balls will get hit for four or six. I think the onus is on bowlers. Obviously, sequence your balls, whether it be your wide yorkers, your slower ball, your bumper, but find a way where you can sequence the balls. Force your opposition to hit more of the balls that you execute out of the pack. Most times, no matter how good the wicket is, there's a spot on the wicket versus the batsman that is more challenging to get runs. It's our duty and our job as bowlers to find that spot on the batsman or the weakness and try to make them hit more of those balls. I think in the last two games, the guys have tried to do that more often than not," he added.
Sammy highlighted the broader impact of West Indies' competitive showing on cricket in the Caribbean region. The head coach expressed hope that the team could conclude the series with a victory in Bengaluru.
"The fact that we’ve made cricket really competitive is good for viewership. People in the Caribbean, once West Indies is doing well, it lightens the mood of every single person. Hopefully, tomorrow gives us the opportunity to bring the curtains down on an excellent tour of India and an excellent series," Sammy said.
