Windies T20 WC squad to be submitted on September 9

− CWI CEO Johnny Grave

By Brandon Corlette

Cricket West Indies’ (CWI’s) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Johnny Grave has disclosed that the West Indies T20 World Cup squad will be announced on September 9.

He made this disclosure on the Mason and Guest radio programme on Tuesday evening.
“The deadline of the ICC for the names of the squad is on September 10, 30 days before the opening match. I imagine we will take it down right to the wire with the CPL going on, and announce it Caribbean time on September 9 and the morning in Dubai,” Grave said.
He added: “Official squad is 15, but the International Cricket Council (ICC) mandated eight staff. We are being able to take an additional seven people with the combination of support staff. Whether we take the full 30 is yet to be determined.”
With all the COVID-19 travelling restrictions in place, CWI are considering the additional reserve players, who will serve as back-up players to the original 15-man squad.
Appearing last week on the same Mason and Guest programme, CWI Lead Selector Roger Harper disclosed that every West Indian player in the CPL will be on his selection radar. He is looking for 18 players, including reserves, to travel to the T20 World Cup.
“The squad will be selected during the CPL (before the end), because of the requirements of the ICC. The CPL is important. I think players have an opportunity just before the team is selected to remind us what they can do, and places are up for consideration,” he said.
“Players have an opportunity to stake a claim, so the CPL is very important. It gives players (opportunity) to get in competitive cricket leading into the World Cup,” Harper said.
The West Indies, the only side to win the tournament twice, would also feature on the opening day of the Super 12s, as they kick off their defence of the title in Dubai against England, top ranked in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s T20I team rankings.
Ahead of the T20 World Cup, West Indies captain Keiron Pollard said: “We are excited to begin defence of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title later this year. T20 cricket is dynamic, and the international scene is highly competitive, with players constantly pushing the boundaries of innovation. We are expecting a spectacular event in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.”

West Indies T20 World Cup match schedule
October 23: v England at Dubai (6pm/10am Eastern Caribbean/9am Jamaica)
October 26: v South Africa at Dubai (2pm/6am Eastern Caribbean/5am Jamaica)
October 29: v B2 at Sharjah (2pm/8am Eastern Caribbean/7am Jamaica)
November 4: v A1, at Abu Dhabi (6pm/10am Eastern Caribbean/9am Jamaica)
November 6: v Australia at Abu Dhabi (2pm/6am Eastern Caribbean/5am Jamaica)

Some changes would be made to the West Indies Provisional Squad that played T20Is vs South Africa, Australia and Pakistan earlier this year. That squad read: Kieron Pollard(c), Nicholas Pooran(w/vc), Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Andre Fletcher(wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Dwayne Bravo, Fabian Allen, Fidel Edwards, Obed McCoy, Oshane Thomas, Sheldon Cottrell, Kevin Sinclair, Hayden Walsh Jr., Akeal Hosein.