Obed McCoy replaces Jason Holder as West Indies announce their 2024 T20 World Cup squad
Co-hosts West Indies have made one change to their T20 World Cup 2024 squad as left-arm seamer Obed McCoy replaced bowling all-rounder Jason Holder. The Windies Cricket announced that the former skipper sustained an injury during the County Championship 2024 and will require an extended recovery period. The board has also named five reserve players.
McCoy, a T20 specialist, has featured in 33 T20Is so far, picking up 43 wickets at 21.46 apiece at an economy rate of 8.50. The 27-year-old's best figures of 6/17 came against the Indian team during the home series in 2022 as the Men in Maroon bowled the tourists out for 138. McCoy's variations should also come in handy on the two-paced surfaces in the Caribbean.
Chief Selector Desmond Haynes admitted that they are gutted to miss out on a player of Holder's caliber and hopes exposure to McCoy will enable him to perform well. As quoted on the official website, Haynes said:
"Jason is an experienced player in our set-up. His absence will undoubtedly be felt both on and off the field. We look forward to having a fully fit Jason with us again soon. While it is unfortunate to lose a player of Jason's caliber, we are confident in the abilities of Obed McCoy.
"Obed has shown remarkable skill and promise in his performances, and this opportunity will allow him to further showcase his talent on the international stage. We believe he will bring a fresh and dynamic energy to the squad."
West Indies squad: Rovman Powell (c), Alzarri Joseph (vc), Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Obed McCoy, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, and Romario Shepherd.
Reserves: Kyle Mayers, Matthew Forde, Fabian Allen, Hayden Walsh, Andre Fletcher.
"Fortunate to have such depth and quality in our ranks" - West Indies coach
West Indies head coach Darren Sammy remains awestruck by the depth and qualities in their ranks, claiming that anyone can step in if the situation demands. He said:
"We are fortunate to have such depth and quality in our ranks. Our reserve players are all A-class talents who have proven their abilities in various formats of the game, but certainly T20. Each one of them is fully capable of slotting into the team seamlessly should the situation arise."
The two-time champions will open their campaign against Papua New Guinea on June 2 in Guyana.