Hot on the heels of the settlement seen in the pay dispute between Australian players and the management came the administrative calm-down in the West Indies, as a result of which some senior players are now visiting England with the national side. And when you throw in the groundbreaking visit to Pakistan — and, indeed, safe return — of the ICC World XI into the mix, this really does seem like world cricket’s happy hour.

Missing out on the fun happen to be two entities: a team and a player. There was no Indian in the World XI and the team will not visit Pakistan even if the attention of the entire national security apparatus is offered unconditionally. For them, it is not about security or any such thing. It is a mindset that the Indians are up against — their own mindset, mind you.

And then there is Darren Sammy, the individual, who was part of the visiting unit but had a toilet break so calculated that it is hard to see him in West Indian colours anytime soon. Cricket West Indies (CWI) President Dave Cameron was handing out mementoes to the players of the World XI when Sammy broke the line, turned away and jogged back to the pavilion. He later described it as a toilet break but anyone who can recall his words at the World T20 final presentation ceremony in 2016 would and did take it as a snub.

With issues getting resolved right, left and centre, world cricket is having a ball of a time. The only exceptions are a team and a player: India and Sammy

For those who may have a struggle recalling, here are a couple of quotable quotes: “We started this journey [when] people were wondering whether we would play this tournament. We had a lot of issues. We felt disrespected by our board … For today, I am going to celebrate … I don’t know when I am going to be playing with these guys again because we don’t get selected … We don’t know when we are going to be playing.”

He has not played since. Actually, he has not been selected since. And even with the truce that has taken effect in the West Indies since the temporary amnesty announced by the board, Sammy has found himself out in the cold even while players such as Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine made the cut for the tour to England.

With his toilet break in Lahore, Sammy has done his bit in delaying his return, if ever, to cricket proper. Interestingly, he tried to defend himself by quoting a piece of recent history related to the Pakistan Super League final that was also played at the same venue and where, according to him, he had also taken a toilet break. Apparently, Lahore — or, more accurately, a presentation ceremony in Lahore — puts a bit too much pressure on either his bowel or bladder!

With the talk of a possible West Indies tour of Pakistan within the next couple of months, it is safe to assume that Sammy will not be there; not as a player. And it’s a pity, for Sammy surely is worth his salt. He is surely not as skilled as the West Indians of yore, but he is just as passionate and brings to the table a level of attitude and energy that his team needs on a consistent basis. By converting a legitimate battle with the board into a personal tiff with the board president, Sammy is paying the price for being on the wrong side of his own passion.

With his toilet break in Lahore, Sammy has done his bit in delaying his return, if ever, to cricket proper. Interestingly, he tried to defend himself by quoting a piece of recent history related to the Pakistan Super League final that was also played at the same venue and where, according to him, he had also taken a toilet break.

While he will most probably miss the cut again when the team is selected for the proposed tour to Pakistan — unless there is an administrative change in Cricket West Indies — we can still hope for some wonderful cricket if the truce between the players and the management holds. A full-strength side comprising not just Gayle, Pollard and Narine, but also Dwayne Bravo and Samuel Badree, would be a treat to watch.

Add these names to the line-up and suddenly West Indies, one of the whipping boys of international cricket, become a competitive unit, especially in the T20 format. Test cricket demands professionalism on a sustained basis. The demands get relatively less rigid in One Day Internationals, but T20 is like letting your hair down which is something that comes naturally to the West Indians. Even when they implode in the shorter format, they do so in style.

Though the Pakistanis will remain grateful to the Sri Lankans when, and if, they proceed with their own commitment to undertake a tour, it will be the series against the West Indies that will bring home not just international cricket, but a whole lot of fun. Let’s keep our fingers crossed … rather tightly.

humair.ishtiaq@gmail.com

Published in Dawn, EOS, September 24th, 2017