West Indies, one of the co-hosts, have unveiled their team roster for the T20 World Cup.
West Indies have revealed their 15-player squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, which is set to be jointly hosted by the Caribbean nations and the USA.
Shamar Joseph, who left a mark in his Test debut series against Australia earlier this year, is now poised to make his T20I debut after securing a spot in the T20 World Cup squad.
Shimron Hetmyer returns to the squad after missing the T20I series against Australia. He has been in good form in the ongoing IPL with the Rajasthan Royals, amassing 83 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 184.44 while playing as a finisher. Kyle Mayers, who was part of the squad during the Australia series, has been omitted as the Windies have opted for a lower-order batter over an opener. Additionally, pacer Oshane Thomas has not been included in the squad.
Johnson Charles, Brandon King, and Shai Hope are anticipated to occupy the top-order positions. The Windies possess a wealth of power hitters and all-rounders, including Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, Sherfane Rutherford, and Romario Shepherd, providing the team with numerous options.
Akeal Hossain and Gudakesh Motie will handle the spin-bowling department, while the pace attack will be spearheaded by vice-captain Alzarri Joseph with support from Shamar Joseph.
Squad: Rovman Powell (c), Alzarri Joseph, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd.
“We had extensive discussions regarding the batting line-up,” he explained. “I want to emphasize that our primary focus has always been on defining specific roles for each player – roles that we believe they can fulfill effectively. Regarding someone like Shamar Joseph, there’s really no doubt about his capability, especially after his performance in Australia. He met our expectations.”
“We faced some tough decisions, particularly concerning the selection between Kyle Mayers and Shimron Hetmyer – but ultimately, we prioritized having an additional batter for the lower order.”
Placed in Group C alongside Afghanistan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Uganda, the two-time champions will commence their campaign on 2 June against PNG in Guyana.
All teams have the option to make adjustments to their squads until 25 May, after which any changes will necessitate approval from the ICC’s Event Technical Committee.
