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Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) batsman Mark Deyal has been named in the 15-man West Indies “A” team squad for a five-match Twenty20 series in Nepal from April 25 to May 15.
This will mark the West Indies’ first-ever tour to Nepal, with the series serving as preparation for the team’s campaign in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, scheduled for June 1-29. The squad will be led by experienced Barbadian all-rounder Roston Chase, with Dominican batsman Alick Athanaze as vice-captain.
Deyal, 31, has played 44 T20 matches since making his debut for the Trinidad and Tobago franchise (then called TT Red Steel) in 2015. In the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Deyal has played 39 games with an average of 19.14, including two half-centuries. His career-best T20 score of 78 came in the 2021 CPL semi-final against TKR while playing for the St Lucia Kings.
Last year, Deyal rejoined TKR in a swap deal with left-arm spinner Khary Pierre, after spending a few seasons with the St Lucia franchise.
The West Indies “A” team also includes veteran openers Johnson Charles and Andre Fletcher, along with Jamaican all-rounder Fabian Allen, who last played for the Windies in February 2022 against India. Middle-order batsman Keacy Carty, with 22 ODI appearances for WI, is also part of the squad, as well as 2019 CPL MVP Hayden Walsh Jr. and Guyana Amazon Warriors players Gudakesh Motie and Keemo Paul.
West Indies white-ball coach Daren Sammy welcomed the timing of the Nepal tour, stating that it offers a chance to fine-tune the World Cup squad and evaluate the depth of the team. With several players participating in the IPL, the tour allows the coaching staff to test other talents from the region.
Lead selector Desmond Haynes also emphasized the importance of the tour in providing exposure to emerging players and expressed confidence in Chase’s leadership abilities, noting his progress since his T20I debut in 2021.
The series will begin on April 27 at Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur. Brandon King, a regular T20 opener for the West Indies, is currently recovering from an injury, while TT opener Evin Lewis, a member of the 2016 T20 World Cup-winning team, is unavailable for selection.
Before the T20 World Cup, the West Indies will face South Africa in a three-match T20 international series from May 22-26, as the team prepares for their World Cup campaign, where they are grouped with Afghanistan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Uganda.
West Indies “A” squad for Nepal tour:
Roston Chase (captain), Alick Athanaze (vice-captain), Fabian Allen, Kadeem Alleyne, Joshua Bishop, Keacy Carty, Johnson Charles, Mark Deyal, Andre Fletcher, Matthew Forde, Obed McCoy, Gudakesh Motie, Keemo Paul, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr.
