West Indies announce squads for upcoming white-ball series against Australia
Cricket West Indies (CWI) has named the squads for the upcoming ODI and T20I series against Australia, starting from February 2 onwards, after the culmination of the two-match Test series.
The ODI squad will be led by Shai Hope, while Rovman Powell will oversee the proceedings of the T20I squad as skipper. The West Indies made a statement with a formidable white-ball campaign against England at home recently and will be looking to build on it.
A huge name missing across both white-ball units is explosive left-handed batter Shimron Hetmyer. He had a woeful home series against England, scoring only three runs in two T20I appearances and a mere 44 runs in the three-match ODI series.
West Indies' T20I squad is bolstered with the return of Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers, who opted out of the Test series. However, they are not part of the ODI squad, much like batters Brandon King and Sherfane Rutherford, who have been allowed to play franchise cricket before reporting for the T20I series.
Much like the Test squad, which is rife with potential debutants, the ODI squad also features new names like Teddy Bishop and Tevin Imlach. Leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr, who last played an international contest in August 2022, also earned a comeback after a strong showing in the domestic Super50 competition. He finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker alongside Sunil Narine in the tournament.
"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," lead selector Desmond Haynes said.
"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," Haynes added
West Indies are currently involved in a warm-up contest in Adelaide against Cricket Australia XI ahead of the two-match Test series. The side, led by Kraigg Brathwaite, scored 251-8 in the first innings before declaring and claimed two wickets before stumps.
West Indies are scheduled to play three ODIs and three T20Is in Australia after the Tests
The white-ball leg of the West Indies tour of Australia will begin with the ODI series. Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra are slated to play host to the 50-over games on February 2, February 4 and February 6 respectively. The T20I series, on the other hand, will be played in Hobart, Adelaide and Perth on February 9, February 11 and February 13 respectively.
West Indies ODI squad vs Australia
Shai Hope (capt), 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 vs Australia
Rovman Powell (capt), 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
How many wins will the visitors be able to rack up in the white-ball leg of their tour of Australia? Let us know what you think.