Darren Sammy, who led the West Indies to its second World T20 title in India in April, believes that the historic achievement can inspire a new generation of players in the Caribbean nation.
"It has been amazing to travel around the various islands over the past few weeks and see the joy on the kids' faces. We always talk in the dressing-room about creating a new legacy for West Indies cricket and if a child dreams of becoming the next (Kieron) Pollard, (Dwayne) Bravo, (Chris) Gayle or (Andre) Russell, then we know that we'll be on the right track. There's a whole new level of interest locally which is great news," said Sammy in an exclusive interview with www.cplt20.com.
"I got a phone call from an old school-friend of mine who said her son always dreamed of becoming a doctor, like his father. But since the West Indies team won (in India), he now wants to be a professional cricketer," said the St Lucia born all-rounder. "Thousands of children across the Caribbean will now dream again about playing for the West Indies, like the older generations did in the past."
"It is a huge step in the right direction. If the Caribbean Premier League can continue to add to the excitement, and inspiring youngsters, then we know we're going to be on to a winning formula," added the 32-year-old.
He also pointed out that the CPL is shaping to be the strongest tournament ever, adding that the arrival of world-class players of the calibre of AB de Villiers, Brendon McCullum and Shane Watson and the emerging talent across the Caribbean can elevate CPL to new levels across the Caribbean.
