West Indies lead selector defends Cariah pick for T20 World Cup

LEAD selector of the West Indies men’s team Desmond Haynes defended the selection of inexperienced T20 cricketer Yannic Cariah for the International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup, saying he has impressed and can be the team’s wildcard.

On Wednesday, the selection panel confirmed the 15 players who will represent the West Indies at the eighth ICC T20 World Cup, which will be played in Australia from October 16-November 13.

Cariah has only played four T20 matches in his career with no T20 experience at international level. He last played in the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in 2016.

Cariah, who bowls leg spin and bats left-handed, made his West Indies debut in a One-Day International series against New Zealand in August. The TT cricketer showed promise in the three-match series scoring a half century and was useful with the ball.

Haynes was bombarded with questions in a Cricket West Indies media conference on Wednesday concerning Cariah’s selection.

The other uncapped player in the squad is experienced left-handed all-rounder Raymon Reifer.

Haynes said, “When I first came into the job I said my job would be to make sure that we look at giving people opportunities. I think Yannic showed us what he can do in the 50-over competition (against) New Zealand.”

Haynes said West Indies white-ball captain Nicholas Pooran believes in Cariah.

“I think he is good enough,” Haynes said. “I also think he can do very well for us with the bat as well and I think he deserves the opportunity to go and play in this big tournament…over the years you always have selectors that always want to go by the book and so forth.”

Haynes said you can call Cariah’s pick a “wildcard.”

“Sometimes you just have to go with a person that you feel can do a job for you.”

Left-handed opening batsman Evin Lewis has been recalled for the first time since the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup. Lewis was not considered for selection over the past year because of fitness reasons. Some of the notable omissions are Andre Russell, Fabian Allen, Hayden Walsh Jnr, Shamarh Brooks and Romario Shepherd.

Haynes said with 15 players chosen not everyone can make the trip to Australia.

“We have to pick 15 players and it is always somebody who is going to get left out.”

Haynes encouraged those who were omitted from the squad to deliver during the 2022 CPL.

Haynes was also asked about the non-selection of Allen and Russell. He said Allen was “pretty close” in earning a recall, but the selectors decided to go with fellow left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein.

Allen decided to take some time off from international cricket following the death of his father.

Haynes said Russell was not considered for selection. “We have not really seen a lot of Russell playing for West Indies recently and judging from what is happening now we just decided that we will move on.”

Another player earning a recall was opener Johnson Charles. Haynes said Charles’s prolific form in the first half of the CPL and his ability as a wicket-keeper led to his selection. Charles will be the second choice wicket-keeper after Pooran.

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.

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.