Star opener returns as West Indies announce T20 World Cup squad
Evin Lewis returned as West Indies named their squad of 15 players for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022. The squad also has two uncapped players in Yannic Cariah and Raymon Reifer.
“We have selected a mixture of youth and experience to represent the West Indies," said CWI Lead Selector Desmond Haynes. "In the selection process, we have been cognizant of the ongoing CPL 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.”
“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.”
A surprise inclusion in the squad is Johnson Charles, who last played a T20I in 2016. Cariah, who recently made his ODI debut, was preferred over Hayden Walsh as the leg-spinner in the squad. There was no place for Andre Russell or Fabian Allen, both of whom played the 2021 ICC Men's T20 World Cup in UAE with the lead selector clarifying that Russell was dropped.
West Indies play Zimbabwe on October 19 in their first match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 in the first round. Scotland and Ireland are the other teams in West Indies' group The top two teams from Group B will join the Super 12s.
West Indies are also due to play Australia in a two-match bilateral T20I series on October 5 and October 7 ahead of the T20 World Cup.
**T20 World Cup squad:**Nicholas Pooran (c), Rovman Powell, Yannic Cariah, Johnson Charles, Sheldon Cottrell, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Kyle Mayers, Obed Mccoy, Raymon Reifer, Odean Smith