Andre “Spiceman” Fletcher aiming to cement T20 spot

Had Evin Lewis and Lendl Simmons not opt out of the New Zealand tour, would Andre Fletcher have had a spot in the T20 squad? The last time Fletcher played for the West Indies was back in August 2018. After an ordinary performance in the 2020 Hero Caribbean Premier League, Fletcher is back in the West Indies T20 squad.

The 32-year-old Fletcher is keen on cementing his T20 spot in the upcoming three-match T20 series, starting on November 27 against New Zealand, after having been overlooked for the past two years.
Fletcher has said it is always a pleasure to represent the West Indies, and this time around, he is aiming to make the best of his opportunity. From his last time with the West Indies, Fletcher has said the difference now is that he has an improved shot selection while being a positive player.

“I have worked hard on my physical aspect as well. Hopefully, I can carry on in the international level. This is my third time in New Zealand. The team goal for me per se would be to ensure that we can actually win this series, and my individual goal is to make sure that I can get as much runs as possible, where I can actually cement my spot in the T20 squad,” Fletcher told Cricket West Indies media.
In the 2020 Hero CPL which ended in September, the wicket-keeper batsman scored 211 runs in 11 innings at an average of 21.10 with a strike rate of 127.87. It was a low-scoring CPL tournament, with Fletcher ending 12th on the scoring chart.
The experienced Fletcher has 42 T20 Internationals under his belt, with 765 runs at an average of 21.23. He has six fifties to his name, with his high-score being 84. In CPL cricket, Fletcher has been a veteran for the St Lucia Zouks, and he is also the Zouks leading run-scorer. In his overall CPL career, he played 78 matches and has 2081 runs at an average a shade below 30. He has 11 half-centuries with a strike rate of 118.3. (Brandon Corlette)