….Evin Lewis recalled

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Cricket West Indies’ (CWI) Selection Panel yesterday announced the West Indies squad for the upcoming International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup. The panel confirmed the fifteen (15) players who will represent the West Indies for the eighth ICC T20 World Cup, which will be played in Australia from October 16 to November 13.

The West Indies are the only team to have won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup twice, in Sri Lanka in 2012 and in India in 2016. The West Indies campaign to win an unprecedented third ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title starts on October 17, when they take on Scotland in the first of three Group B fixtures played at the Bellerive Oval, in Hobart, Tasmania to qualify for the Super 12 phase of the tournament. Nicholas Pooran leads the West Indies in his first World Cup as captain, with Rovman Powell as vice-captain.

Left-hand opening batter Evin Lewis has been recalled for the first time since the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup. Two uncapped players have been selected – right-arm leg-spinner all-rounder Yannic Cariah, 30, and left-arm batting all-rounder Raymon Reifer.

The Most Honourable Dr Desmond Haynes, CWI’s Lead Selector said: “We have selected a mixture of youth and experience to represent the West Indies. In the selection process, we have been cognizant of the ongoing CPL and we have been looking at the players who have been playing very well. I said at the beginning of my tenure that I would be interested in giving players the opportunity and I think I have been consistent in doing that. I believe it is a very good team we have selected, and it is a team that will compete, given that we have to qualify from Round 1 into the Super12s.”

Dr Haynes added: “ There are players who did not make the team and I hope they will continue to work hard and perform to their best in the CPL and the upcoming CG United Super50 Cup; because you never know what can happen in case of injuries or any other unforeseen situations where we might need to call up players as replacements.”

Notable absentees from the World Cup squad are Hayden Walsh Jr, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Fabien Allen and Romario Shepherd.
Walsh Jr has been a consistent selectee on the West Indies T20 team having played 26 matches, grabbing 32 wickets at an average of 21.03.

Andre Russell who last played for the West Indies at last year’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates has not made himself available to the West Indies since, but recently revealed his desire to rejoin the regional team. Russell has an average of 19 with the bat for the West Indies, which pales in comparison to his franchise average which is in the mid-thirties.

Sunil Narine is revered around the world for his guile, but the most feared spinner in T20s has not played for the West Indies since August 2019. He recently announced his desire to wear the maroon.
Fabien Allen has taken time off from international cricket to mourn the loss of his father. But the left-arm spinner has fallen behind the pecking order due to the emergence of Akeal Hosein.

Romario Shepherd’s bowling exploits at the death did not do him any favours, but despite that, the Guyanese all-rounder has been a consistent player in the team, averaging 39.60 with the bat and taking 21 wickets from 23 matches.

West Indies will face Zimbabwe on October 19 and then Ireland on October 21 with the top two teams from Group B joining the Super 12s, along with the top two teams from Group A which features Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands and Namibia. The top two teams from each Super12 group will advance to the semi-finals on November 9 and 10.

Before the start of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the West Indies will meet home team Australia in a two-match bilateral T20 International (T20I) series on October 5 at the Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast and on October 7 at the historical Gabba, in Brisbane.

FULL SQUAD: Nicholas Pooran (captain), Rovman Powell (vice-captain), Yannic Cariah, Johnson Charles, Sheldon Cottrell, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akael Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Kyle Mayers, Obed McCoy, Raymon Reifer, Odean Smith.