West Indies skipper Darren Sammy: It's us against the world

Darren Sammy says the West Indies' difficult build-up to the World Twenty20 has brought the players together and will stand them in good stead in Thursday's semi-final against India.

The 2012 champions spent much of their preparations for the tournament in a contractual dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board and did not play a single warm-up game before arriving in India. 

In contrast, their hosts have won 10 of 11 games in 2016 and are the top-ranked side in the shortest format of the game. 

But Sammy said: "The issues before the tournament, the lack of respect for our T20 team... a lot has been said about this team and we as a group that brought us closer together.

"We saw a lot was against us... we think it's us against the world. It's only us in our own little circle and that's the way we have gone out and played. Tomorrow is no bigger day to express that."

A number of West Indies players are in their 30s and play only the shortest format of the game and, with the next World Twenty20 scheduled in four years' time in Australia, Sammy feels there is extra focus among those for whom this tournament could represent a swansong. 

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"Looking at the calendar year after this World Cup, I don't see any T20 internationals scheduled," he said. "It might be a while and the next T20 World Cup is in four years.

"We really put in our all in this tournament and the guys in the dressing room are aware of what's at stake.

"The guys who predict the results and stuff I think say it's 80:20 in favour of India. So it feels like David versus Goliath but people tend to forget David won the fight."