Sammy praises “game changer” Motie for improving skillset
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – West Indies head coach Daren Sammy has lauded left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie for his work ethic and perseverance after his match-winning performance in the third and final T20I against South Africa on Saturday.Last November, the 30-year-old was dropped from the West Indies’ T20I squad for the tour of New Zealand following a dip in form attributed to a technical issue with his action.As a result, a decision was taken by Cricket West Indies (CWI) to send Motie to South Africa to work with specialists, through collaboration with the Royals Sports Group, to address the issue and rebuild his confidence ahead of the T20 World Cup, which will be held from February 7 to March 8 in Sri Lanka and India.
While Motie went wicketless in the preceding three-match T20I series against Afghanistan, he starred in his lone appearance in South Africa, claiming 3-17 in his two overs to be named Player-of-the-Match in West Indies’ six-run victory via the Duckworth/Lewis/Stern method in a match reduced to 10 overs.Speaking in a post-match press conference on Saturday, Sammy pointed out that Motie had used some of his newly learned bowling skills during his spell.
He said he was impressed with Motie’s effort since being dropped, describing him as a key part of the West Indies’ past success and future.“In 2025, Motie really lacked some confidence. So, we had a plan, myself, with Sangakarra, the director of Royals, and we came up with a plan after Bangladesh that Motie would come down to South Africa to do some skill work before this series here and I must say that Motie has maximised the time.