Lewis returns, Cariah gets call-up for T20 World Cup

THE CRICKET West Indies (CWI) selection panel has announced the West Indies squad for the upcoming International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup. Opener Evin Lewis has earned a recall and all-rounder Yannic Cariah has received a call-up on the 15-man squad.

The panel confirmed the players who will represent the West Indies for the eighth ICC T20 World Cup, which will be played in Australia from October 16-November 13.

A CWI media release on Wednesday said, “Left-hand opening batter Evin Lewis has been recalled for the first time since the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup. Two uncapped players have been selected; right-arm leg-spinner all-rounder Yannic Cariah and left-arm batting all-rounder Raymon Reifer.”

Lewis was not considered for selection over the past year because of fitness reasons. Cariah made his West Indies debut in a One-Day International series last month against New Zealand.

Some of the notable omissions are Andre Russell, Fabian Allen, Hayden Walsh Jnr and Romario Shepherd.

Nicholas Pooran leads the West Indies in his first World Cup as captain, with Rovman Powell as vice-captain.

The West Indies are the only team to have won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup twice, in Sri Lanka in 2012 and in India in 2016.

The West Indies campaign to win an unprecedented third ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title starts on October 17, when they take on Scotland in first of three Group B fixtures played at the Bellerive Oval, in Hobart, Tasmania to qualify for the Super 12 phase of the tournament.

Desmond Haynes, CWI’s lead selector, said, “We have selected a mixture of youth and experience to represent the West Indies. In the selection process, we have been cognisant 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 one into the Super12s.”

WEST INDIES SQUAD

Nicholas Pooran (captain), Rovman Powell (vice-captain), Yannic Cariah, Johnson Charles, Sheldon Cottrell, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Kyle Mayers, Obed McCoy, Raymon Reifer, Odean Smith