Trinidad and Tobago’s Nicholas Pooran, Yannic Cariah, Akeal Hosein and Evin Lewis have been named in the West Indies squad for next month’s ICC T20 World Cup in Australia.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) made the announcement on Wednesday and the T&T quartet are among those to be named in the 15-man squad.
Pooran will lead West Indies at a major ICC event for the first time after taking over the role after Kieron Pollard retired from international cricket in May 2022.
He was the vice-captain of the West Indies team at the 2014 ICC U19 World Cup in Dubai.
Lewis has returned to the squad for the first time since the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup, following continued concerns over his fitness.
Hosein, who is currently listed as injured and has missed the last four games for Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League, is expected to recover well in time for the tournament.
Cariah, 31, is one of two non-football players in the squad (along with Raymond Reifer of Barbados).
The former West Indies U19 batsman impressed during his debut ODI series against New Zealand when he scored a maiden international fifty and took three wickets.
However, master spinner Sunil Narine and all-rounder Andre Russell were not selected for the team.
Rovman Powell has been appointed as vice-captain.
In-form Jamaica captain Tallawahs and Pooran will be at the center of a strong West Indies batting line-up.
They are supported by the talents of Lewis, Shimron Hetmyer, Johnson Charles, Kyle Mayers, Raymond Reifer, Brandon King and Cariah.
Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph will lead the rushing attack along with Sheldon Cottrell, Obed McCoy and Odean Smith.
Orthodox left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein and leg-spinner Cariah were the only slow bowlers selected for the World Cup, which will be played on pitches that favor pacers.
West Indies have won the ICC World T20 title on two occasions (2012 and 2016) and are going after an unprecedented third title.
Pooran’s side open their campaign on October 17 against Scotland at Bellerive Oval in Hobart in a Group B clash.
They also play Zimbabwe (October 19) and Ireland (October 21) for a place, with the top two teams in the group advancing to the Super 12.
Australia will defend their ICC T20 World Cup title at home from October 16 to November 13.
West Indies will play Australia in two bilateral T20 Internationals before the World Cup.
The matches will be played at Metricon Stadium (Gold Coast) on October 5 and at the ‘Gabba (Brisbane) on October 7.
WEST INDIES ICC T20 WORLD CUP 2022
FULL squad
Nicholas Pooran – Captain
Rovman Powell – Vice Captain
Yannic Cariah
Johnson Charles
Sheldon Cottrell
Shimron Hetmyer
Jason Holder
Akeal Hossein
Alzarri Jozef
Brandon King
Evin Lewis
Kyle Mayers
Obed McCoy
Raymon rips
Odean Smith
SCHEDULE OF MATCHES
T20 International Series, Australia vs West Indies
October 5: 1st T20I, Australia vs West Indies, Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast
October 7: 2nd T20I, Australia vs West Indies, Gabba, Brisbane
ICC Men’s T20 WORLD CUP 2022, Australia
Round 1 – Groups
Group A: Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, Netherlands and Namibia
Group B: Scotland, West Indies, Zimbabwe and Ireland
(The top two teams from each group advance to the Super 12)
Round 1 – Fixtures (all played at Bellerive Oval, Hobart).
October 17: West Indies v Scotland, 15:00 Australia time, 00:00 Eastern Caribbean time, 23:00 Jamaica time (October 16)
October 19: West Indies v Zimbabwe, 19:00 Australia time, 04:00 Eastern Caribbean time, 03:00 Jamaica time
October 21: West Indies v Ireland, 15:00 EST, 00:00 ET, 23:00 Jamaican time (October 20)
Super 12s
Group 1: England, Australia, New Zealand, Afghanistan, A1 and B2.
Group 2: India, Pakistan, Pakistan, South Africa, A2 and B1.
(The top two teams from each group advance to the semi-finals)
semifinals
November 9: SCG, Sydney
November 10: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
ultimate
November 13: MCG, Melbourne
