Two-time champions West Indies are all set to begin their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against Scotland on Saturday (February 7) in Kolkata’s Eden Gardens – the venue where the Caribbean side defeated England to lift the coveted trophy 10 years ago.

Ahead of the game, West Indies head coach Daren Sammy said that any team aiming for the title must first overcome hosts India. In 2016, Sammy’s side had to beat India in the semifinals to win the title, and he anticipates a similar challenge this time as well.

“Nobody is winning this World Cup if they don’t go through India. We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t believe we could win. It feels like the same scenario 10 years ago where nobody gave us a chance. I’m looking at the guys and the calibre of talent in that dressing room. We want to win. We’ve got to play a brand of cricket,” Sammy said, as quoted by CricketNext.

“Just like in 2016, we knew we had to beat India to win the World Cup. It’s an even bigger challenge now. Nobody is winning this World Cup without beating India, whether in a knockout stage, a semifinal, or a final. They are the favourites, and every team must play exceptionally well to beat India at home. It’s their Cup to lose," he added.

Recalling the 2016 semifinal in Mumbai where West Indies had defeated India by seven wickets in the chase of 193, Sammy remarked: “It was the same situation when I sat in Mumbai and said, ‘it’s David versus Goliath’."

The West Indies coach stressed the importance of momentum. “To reach the knockouts, you must perform well in each game. It’s about building momentum. We have a tricky match against Scotland tomorrow, then England at Wankhede, which has been good to us in India. Then Italy and Nepal. It’s going to be a fun tournament, but we need to be on the ball."

The Caribbean side has struggled lately due to administrative issues, player influx to franchise leagues, and inconsistent results. However, Sammy backed the current crop of players to turn things around.

“We developed leagues all over the world from 2007 to 2016, and advanced the T20 game too. But our talent never really had the chance to pass on the knowledge to the current crop."

“Despite many challenges, we’re here at the World Cup, and we believe we can make an impact and win. It will take a massive effort, but it’s not impossible."

West Indies will enter the T20 World Cup on the back of 1-2 series loss to South Africa. “I watched them play that series in South Africa. I watched them here. While the results haven’t been favourable, there’s something in these players’ eyes that makes me believe we could go all the way. With good execution, we’re right there to compete and win against any team."

He reminded the squad of the significance of the ‘maroon’ jersey and their legacy. “You can’t talk about cricket without mentioning the West Indies. The maroon makes me who I am today. Viv Richards and others created history by winning World Cups in ’75 and ’79. From 2007 to 2016, we created our own history. This crop has the chance to start something special."

“West Indies cricketers are more well-known than their prime ministers. It brings a lot of history. I told the team today, create your own piece of history."

“When you win, it’s easier to achieve things. I think we’re about to win. Even if nobody believes in us, I believe, and my team believes. Let the dance start tomorrow," he concluded.