The West Indies will embark on the T20 Series Tour to Sri Lanka with the important players Andre Russell, Nicholas Pooran, Akeal Hosein and Shimron Hetmyer missing in action as the four have pulled out of the T20I series due to “personal reasons” scheduled for three matches.
The new-look selection panel, which is headed by Darren Sammy, have picked Evin Lewis and Brandon King as openers as well as introducing for the first time, Terrance Hinds and Shamar Springer, both all-rounders plying their trade as pace bowlers, as per a release from CWI.
Lewis returns from a self-imposed hiatus after the 2022 T20 World Cup, while King is back from a side issue injury that almost kept him away from the T20 World Cup earlier this year.
Rovman Powell was kept as the captain and Roston Chase maintained his position as the vice-captain.
“The tour of Sri Lanka presents an opportunity to assess players at different levels of the game, if not their other skills given how many senior players are unavailable for other reasons; some require rest and some require rehabilitation due to injuries. We have faith that the squad is able to put up a better challenge against Sri Lanka,” Sammy said in the statement.
WI achieved the third position in the rankings after whitewashing South Africa 3-0 earlier this year and now they will head to Sri Lanka for a three-match T20I and ODI series from October 10-27.
Shai Hope will remain in charge as ODI captain, with Alzarri Joseph serving as his vice-captain. The series is strategically important for the CWI in strengthening its ODI side in preparation for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027.
One of the players who has been selected in the squad is Jewel Andrew, a young wicketkeeper-batsman from Antigua who has shown enough potential to be picked by the selectors.
The other players in the squad include King and Sherfane Rutherford, both of whom are important players in the national team.
West Indies: T20I Squad: Rovman Powell (c), Roston Chase (v-c), Fabian Allen, Alick Athanaze, Andre Fletcher, Terrance Hinds, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd and Shamar Springer.
ODI Squad: Shai Hope (c), Alzarri Joseph (v-c), Jewel Andrew, Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd and Hayden Walsh Jr.
