ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Cricket West Indies’ chief selector has stoutly defended the squad choices for the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia as he was grilled about the surprise inclusion of the uncapped Yannic Cariah, whom he deemed a potential wildcard, and opener Johnson Charles who has not played for the regional side in six years.

As for the omission of several other players who have been performing well, the Most Hon. Desmond Haynes said there were several “close calls” when the 15-man team was being chosen, and given the limited spaces there would be players who are “pretty close to selection but lose out because of the combination of the side”.

Insisting that the selectors had picked “the best team for the West Indies”, Dr. Haynes told journalists who pressed him on the rationale for certain selections that people with potential had to be “given a chance”.
In the case of right-arm, leg-spinning all-rounder Cariah, who has played only four T20s taking just one wicket and was not selected by any of the franchises for the ongoing Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Dr Haynes was adamant that he had proved himself otherwise.

“We were very impressed with Yannic in the games that we had selected him. It started with the A team. He bowled very well and we gave him a chance to play against New Zealand in the 50-over competition and we were very impressed with him,” he said, adding that captain Nicholas

Pooran was among those impressed by the 30-year-old Trinidadian who made his West Indies debut in a One-Day International series against New Zealand in August.
“And I think if it’s one thing a lot of people might not be aware of is that even though yes, he is bowling well for us, he also got a lot of respect for his batting. We think that he’s a guy who can make runs for us as well.”

“This would be a good opportunity for him to play in a World Cup. I think he’s good enough. I also think that he can do very well for us with a bat as well and I think he deserves the opportunity to play in this big tournament,” the former West Indies batter added.

Cariah’s last T20 match was during the 2016 CPL and despite his limited experience, Dr Haynes said he was chosen over the more accomplished Hayden Walsh Jr.
“We believe Yannic is the best person for the leg-spin position and he would do a good job for us,” he insisted.

After being bombarded with further questions about Cariah’s selection for a crucial tournament in which West Indies will be aiming to win an unprecedented third T20 World Cup title, the chief selector added: “Sometimes you just have to go with a person you feel can do a good job for you…. Just give us a chance. We feel that this guy can do a job for us and that’s the reason why he’s in the side.”

The CWI’s main selector also explained that Charles, who was part of West Indies’ T20 World Cup winning teams in 2012 and 2016, earned a recall partly based on his experience.
According to Haynes, selectors also took into consideration his performance for St Lucia Kings in the current CPL in which he is the second-highest run-getter with 227 runs in six innings at an average of 45.40 and a strike rate of 136.74.

“Judging from this performance in the CPL, his experience as well, he had a tour of Australia and he’s done well down there and also we’re looking at somebody who could be the second keeper,” he said, adding that Charles got the edge over Andre Fletcher.

The T20 World Cup runs from October 16 to November 13, with West Indies scheduled to first play a qualifying tournament in order to reach the main draw.