West Indies announce squad for the white-ball series against Australia; drops a star player

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced the squads for the upcoming ODI and T20I series against Australia, set to commence on February 2 after the conclusion of the two-match Test series.

An omission of a established cricketer

Shai Hope will lead the ODI team, while Rovman Powell is designated as the captain for the T20I side. Building on their successful white-ball campaign against England at home, the West Indies team aims to maintain the positive momentum Notably, the exclusion of the explosive left-handed batter Shimron Hetmyer, who struggled in the home series against England and scored only three runs in two T20I appearances and was dropped from the last three games, is noteworthy.

Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers’ return to the T20I squad

In the T20I squad, Jason Holder and opener Kyle Mayers have been included, both of whom were unavailable for the Test tour due to T20 franchise contracts. On the other hand, Brandon King and Sherfane Rutherford have been granted permission by selectors to participate in franchise cricket before rejoining the T20I squad for the Australia series.

New faces and a comeback

Similar to the Test squad, the ODI lineup introduces new faces such as Teddy Bishop and Tevin Imlach. Leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr, absent from international contests since August 2022, makes a comeback after a strong showing in the domestic Super50 competition, where he finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker alongside Sunil Narine.

Also READ: Australia unveil Test squad for the West Indies series; names a new opener

Strong confidence for Australia Tour: Chief selector Desmond Haynes’ optimism

Desmond Haynes, the chief selector, expresses confidence in a formidable T20I squad, emphasizing the exclusion of Hetmyer in favor of focusing on core players. With recent victories in the ODI and T20I series against England at home, Haynes believes the team is well-prepared for a compelling performance in Australia.

“On the back of a series win against England, we are expecting our ODI team to be very competitive in Australia. We have some new inclusions, who have impressed over a significant period and a couple of returning players, who we think will have an impact,” Haynes was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

“For the T20I series, this forms part of our crucial preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup where we are hosts. We are hoping to build on strong overall performances against India and England and to keep improving as we approach the major tournament,”  the 67-year-old concluded.

West Indies’ ODI squad for Australia series:

Shai Hope (c), Alzarri Joseph, Alick Athanaze, Teddy Bishop, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge, Tevin Imlach, Gudakesh Motie, Kjorn Ottley, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr.

West Indies’ T20I squad for Australia series:

Rovman Powell (c), Shai Hope, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas

Also READ: Cricket Australia announces 13-man squad for West Indies ODIs; Steve Smith to lead