Darren Sammy Backs ICC’s Pre-Seeding Format Amid ‘Group of Death’ Debate

Darren Sammy supported the ICC’s pre-seeding system for the T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eights, saying his team would focus only on winning matches despite criticism of the format.

West Indies coach Darren Sammy on Sunday (February 22) said he “understands” why the International Cricket Council (ICC) introduced the pre-seeding system for the Super Eights in the 2026 T20 World Cup, even as criticism of the format continued to grow.

Under the pre-seeding system, all teams were assigned fixed positions in the Super Eights before the tournament began. This allowed fans to know in advance where teams would play and who they could face after the group stage. However, the system resulted in the four unbeaten teams, including the West Indies, being placed together in Group 1, creating what many have called a ‘group of death’.

The other Super Eights group features England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand, even though some of them struggled during the group stage. Critics argued that the format reduced the importance of the group stage, making it feel like a separate tournament within the main event.

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Addressing the issue at a pre-match press conference, Sammy said, “I do understand from the logistics standpoint, trying to give the fans the surety.”

“We knew before the tournament what was going to happen, where we were going to be. We just try to control what we can. My team knows they just have to play a World Cup. We’ve got Zimbabwe tomorrow, we’ve got South Africa and then India,” he added.

Sammy also stressed that strong teams are bound to meet in the later stages of a global tournament. “If you’re going to win, you’ve got to play what’s in front of you. Not take it for granted, not take anybody lightly,” he said. “If you start to bring in other factors, it takes you off-track on your focus. For us, our focus is Zimbabwe tomorrow and doing everything in our power to come out victorious.”

Earlier, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar had raised concerns about the timing of the criticism, stating that such questions should have been asked before the tournament’s first match.