The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Selection Panel on Wednesday announced the West Indies squad for the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup.
The panel confirmed the 15 players who will represent the West Indies for the eighth ICC T20 World Cup, which will be played in Australia from October 16 to November 13.
The West Indies are the only team to have won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup twice, in Sri Lanka in 2012 and in India in 2016. The West Indies campaign to win an unprecedented third ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title starts on October 17, when they take on Scotland in the first of three Group B fixtures played at the Bellerive Oval, in Hobart, Tasmania to qualify for the Super 12 phase of the tournament. Nicholas Pooran leads the West Indies in his first World Cup as Captain, with Rovman Powell as Vice Captain.
Left-hand opening batter Evin Lewis has been recalled for the first time since the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup. Two uncapped players have been selected; right-arm leg-spinner all-rounder Yannic Cariah and left-arm batting all-rounder Raymon Reifer.
The Most Honourable Dr Desmond Haynes, CWI’s Lead Selector said: “We have selected a mixture of youth and experience to represent the West Indies. In the selection process, we have been cognisant of the ongoing CPL [Caribbean Premier League] and we have been looking at the players who have been playing very well. I said at the beginning of my tenure that I would be interested in giving players the opportunity, and I think I have been consistent in doing that. I believe it is a very good team we have selected, and it is a team that will compete, given that we have to qualify from Round 1 into the Super12s.”
Dr Haynes added: “ There are players who did not make the team and I hope they will continue to work hard and perform to their best in the CPL and the upcoming CG United Super50 Cup; because you never know what can happen in case of injuries or any other unforeseen situations where we might need to call up players as replacements.”
West Indies will face Zimbabwe on October 19 and then Ireland on October 21 with the top two teams from Group B joining the Super12s, along with the top two teams from Group A, which features Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, and Namibia. The top two teams from each Super12 group will advance to the semi-finals on November 9 and 10.
Before the start of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the West Indies will meet home team Australia in a two-match bilateral T20 International (T20I) series on October 5 at the Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast and on October 7 at the historical Gabba, in Brisbane.
West Indies ICC T20 World Cup 2022
Full Squad
1. Nicholas Pooran – Captain
2. Rovman Powell – Vice Captain
3. Yannic Cariah
4. Johnson Charles
5. Sheldon Cottrell
6. Shimron Hetmyer
7. Jason Holder
8. Akeal Hosein
9. Alzarri Joseph
10. Brandon King
11. Evin Lewis
12. Kyle Mayers
13. Obed McCoy
14. Raymon Reifer
15. Odean Smith
MATCH SCHEDULE
T20 International Series, Australia v West Indies
October 5: 1st T20I, Australia v West Indies, Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast
October 7: 2nd T20I, Australia v West Indies, The Gabba, Brisbane
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, Australia
Round 1 – Groups
Group A: Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, and Namibia
Group B: Scotland, West Indies, Zimbabwe, and Ireland
(Top two teams from each group advance to Super12s)
Round 1 – Match Schedule (all played at Bellerive Oval, Hobart).
October 17: West Indies v Scotland, 15:00h Australia time, 00:00h Eastern Caribbean time, 23:00h Jamaica time (October 16)
October 19: West Indies v Zimbabwe, 19:00h Australia time, 04:00h Eastern Caribbean time, 03:00h Jamaica time
October 21: West Indies v Ireland, 15:00h Australia time, 00:00h Eastern Caribbean time, 23:00h Jamaica time (October 20)
Super12s
Group 1: England, Australia, New Zealand, Afghanistan, A1 and B2.
Group 2: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa, A2 and B1.
(Top two teams from each group advance to the semi-finals)
