No specialist wicketkeeper in West Indies squad against Pakistan

Port-of-Spain (Trinidad), July 12 (IANS/CMC)

Denesh Ramdin (in pic) has been dropped.

Wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin has been dropped from the West Indies squad for first two One-day International (ODI) matches against Pakistan starting Sunday.

Ramdin was not included in a 13-man squad released Thursday by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) ahead of the matches Sunday and Tuesday at the National Stadium in Guyana, reports CMC.

Ramdin has scored only one half-century since his recall to the West Indies ODI side nearly two years ago.

He has been dropped for several recent matches, both during the Champions Trophy and the home tri-series which also featured India and Sri Lanka.

In Ramdin’s absence, the West Indies used opener Johnson Charles behind the stumps, and haven’t picked any specialist wicketkeeper in the squad.

Fast bowler Ravi Rampaul, who injured his ankle in the opening match of the tri-series a couple of weeks ago, remains sidelined.

There were no other changes from the squad that West Indies picked for the tri-series which ended in Trinidad with India beating Sri Lanka Thursday.

The West Indies will arrive in Georgetown Friday and will have a full training session Saturday morning at the Guyana National Stadium.

The squad: Dwayne Bravo (captain), Tino Best, Darren Bravo, Johnson Charles, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Kemar Roach, Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons and Devon Smith.