Sammy to promote Women's World Cup

ST JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC):

Discarded former West Indies captain, Darren Sammy, will feature prominently in promoting the upcoming Women's Twenty20 World Cup, after joining the Windies Ambassador Programme.

Cricket West Indies said yesterday that the 34-year-old would use his star appeal to create awareness in the build-up to the ICC event scheduled for November 9-24 in Guyana, St Lucia and Antigua.

CWI's Ambassadors Programme involves using current and past players in the promotion of cricket events and related commercial activities.

"It is an honour and a huge pleasure to join the team for the ICC Women's World T20," said Sammy, who led West Indies to two T20 World Cup titles.

"This is going to be a great event for our region and for our women, who have for generations helped to build our communities ... in St Lucia and across the West Indies. In doing so, they have made an outstanding contribution to our cricket."

He added: "This tournament will also go a long way to boost women's cricket. The sport is on the rise and we want to see it grow even more when the tournament comes to our doorsteps."

Sammy presided over the Windies capture of the 2016 T20 World Cup in India but was sacked four months later without playing another game for the regional side.

Since then, the former Test and one-day captain has focused his energies on the lucrative global domestic T20 circuit. He is currently representing St Lucia Stars in the ongoing Caribbean Premier League.

West Indies Women are defending champions in the upcoming tournament and will face England, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Group A of the preliminary round.

Group B will comprise 2016 losing finalists Australia along with India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Ireland.