Sherfane Rutherford to unleash raw Guyanese power

Sherfane Rutherford is an exciting Guyanese left-handed batsman, and one of the many power-hitters in the West Indies team for the June 1-29 International Cricket Council (ICC) Twenty/20 World Cup alongside players such as captain Rovman Powell, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell and countryman Shimron Hetmyer.

The 25-year-old Rutherford has played just 15 international matches for the West Indies since making his T20 debut against Bangladesh in December 2018, with three of those matches coming in the One-day international (ODI) format within the last year. Though his international experience is limited, Rutherford has already established himself as an impact player on the T20 circuit, with memorable performances in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and varying franchise tournaments around the world.

Aside from his stints with Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) and St Kitts and Nevis Patriots in the CPL, the middle-order batsman has represented over ten franchises, including stints with Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

In 2018, Rutherford came into the limelight in the Global T20 Canada League when he struck 134 not out while representing a West Indies 'B' team. The Windies 'B' team included players such as Brandon King, Obed McCoy and former white-ball skipper Nicholas Pooran.

In the 2018 CPL season, Rutherford scored 171 runs for GAW at an average of 34.20. He was a member of the enterprising GAW team which lost back-to-back CPL finals in 2018 and 2019.

Rutherford's regional form led to his Windies call-up later in 2018, while an IPL stint with Delhi followed in 2019. He couldn't hold down a consistent spot in the West Indies lineup, though, and he had made only six T20 appearances for the Windies up until his recall in 2023.

In the 2021 CPL season, Rutherford featured prominently for the Patriots as they won their maiden crown. Rutherford scored 262 runs at an average of 37.42, with three fifties.

Rutherford's return to the West Indies setup came in December 2023 when he featured versus England in a five-match T20 series in the Caribbean.

Before his return, Rutherford again showed his love affair with the Global T20 tournament when he scored 220 runs in the 2023 edition of the tournament and was named the MVP.

Rutherford also finished as the fifth-highest scorer in the 2023 CG United Regional Super50 tourney with 278 runs and an average of 46.33, hitting his maiden List A century in the process.

In the England series, Rutherford had cameos of 29, 36 and 30 as the Windies got a 3-2 series win.

Rutherford's best performance in maroon colours came in the final match of West Indies' tour to Australia in February, though, as he struck a typically aggressive knock of 67 not out off 40 balls with five fours and five sixes. West Indies got a four-wicket win in the Perth affair, and Rutherford and Russell (71 off 29 balls) stole the headlines as they recorded a 139-run stand for the sixth wicket – the highest sixth-wicket partnership in the international T20 game.

In the coming weeks, West Indies fans will hope to see more such explosive innings from the left-hander.