Five Guyanese named in West Indies World Cup Squad

Five Guyanese: Shimron Hetmyer, Shamar Joseph, Romario Shepherd, Gudakesh Motie and Sherfane Rutherford, have been selected in the West Indies squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, set for June 1st to 29th in the USA and in the Caribbean.
The announcement was made by the Chairman of Selectors, the Most Honourable Dr. Desmond Haynes, and Head Coach Daren Sammy at a press conference in Barbados on Friday morning.
Chairman of Selectors, Dr. Desmond Haynes, speaking at the press conference, expressed confidence that this team would reign supreme at the World Cup.

“I am very excited! This is a very good time in West Indies Cricket, and I believe that you know we’ve got a team that could win this World Cup, and I feel damn good about this! I feel that we can win this World Cup. I am making it very clear to everybody that whatever team that you hear us put out today, that team we feel is going to win the World Cup,” Haynes said.
Meanwhile, Head Coach Daren Sammy, also speaking at the event, expounded on the impact that playing at home would have on inspiring the players. Sammy shared, “Every country that plays you know would enjoy playing at home. I think I wouldn’t say it is an advantage, but it is always good to see a full house of your fans coming out to support you, operating as a twelfth man on that pitch. You know, in this age, with all the data collection, I don’t think there is so much of an advantage in playing at home. But what we know is that we understand our conditions, and playing in front of a crowd that brings that energy should motivate and inspire my players some more.”
The squad reads: Captain Rovman Powell, Vice-Captain Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Johnson Charles, Shai Hope, Nicholas Pooran, Sherfane Rutherford, Shimron Hetmyer, Andre Russell, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Gudakesh Motie, Akeal Hosein, Roston Chase and Shamar Joseph.
West Indies are in Group C, along with Papua New Guinea (PNG), Uganda, New Zealand and Afghanistan. Their first two games will be contested at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara against PNG on June 2 and against Uganda on June 8. They then play New Zealand at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad on June 12, before their last group game, against Afghanistan on June 17 in St. Lucia.