Darren Sammy to feature for Hampshire alongside Shahid Afridi in NatWest T20 Blast 2016

London: West Indies all-rounder Darren Sammy is to join Hampshire for English domestic cricket’s Twenty20 Blast competition, the southern county announced. Sammy is currently leading the West Indies in the ongoing World T20 tournament in India, and will be available for Hampshire duty until his Caribbean Premier League commitments start in July. [caption id=“attachment_2695588” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of West Indies all-rounder Darren Sammy. Getty Images[/caption] The 32-year-old St Lucian also recently featured in the Pakistan Super League in a team captained by Shahid Afridi, who will be his teammate at Hampshire. Sammy had a short spell in the T20 Blast with Nottinghamshire last season, averaging 41 with the bat in four matches. His first match for Hampshire will be against Kent on 2 June, the club said in a statement. Sammy added: “I love playing in the UK and I’m really excited to have signed with Hampshire. Hampshire have had strong T20 results in the past which I’m hoping will continue this coming summer. “They also have a rich West Indian history which I’m looking forward to adding to the best I can,” he added with Caribbean greats such as former opening batsman Gordon Greenidge and late fast bowler Malcolm Marshall both having had extensive Hampshire careers. “I can’t wait to meet my new teammates in June.” PTI