Before even reaching Pakistan for an important trip, Windies have suffered a big blow, losing their limited-overs skipper and experienced allrounder Kieron Pollard for the T20Is and ODIs to be played against the Asian giants.
Cricket West Indies confirmed the news on December 5, informing that Pollard hasn’t managed to recover from the hamstring injury that he picked up during the T20 World Cup in the United Arabic Emirates.
“Pollard will undergo rehabilitation work in Trinidad, under the supervision of CWI’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Israel Dowlat, and will be reassessed in a few weeks ahead of the upcoming home tours against Ireland and England in January 2022,”
CWI said in a media release.
While Pollard strives to be fit for the home series versus Ireland and England early next year, West Indies will have two separate stand-in captains for ODIs and T20Is against Pakistan in December.
Middle-order mainstays Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran have been appointed interim captains for three ODIs and three T20Is, respectively. Individually, Pollard has been replaced by wicketkeeper-batter Devon Thomas in ODIs and Rovman Powell in T20Is.
Pooran has captaincy experience under his belt with the Caribbean Premier League and in T20Is. But this will be Hope’s first-ever ODI assignment as West Indies captain and he will be under slight pressure because of it.
The ODIs will be part of the ICC Super League, where WI are currently placed eighth in the points table after four wins and five losses. West Indies need to clinch a few wins to be able to rise up in the standings and keep themselves safe from slipping below.
The Super League counts as a direct qualification tournament for the 2023 World Cup. The top seven teams alongside hosts India will make the World Cup directly, but those finishing below 8th will have to go through the global qualifier.
The tour of Pakistan, however, kickstarts with the T20Is on December 13, 14 and 16. The ODIs will follow on December 18, 20 and 22. All the matches will be played in Karachi.
West Indies squads
ODI squad: Shai Hope (captain), Nicholas Pooran (vice-captain), Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, Roston Chase, Justin Greaves, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Raymon Reifer, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Hayden Walsh Jr, Devon Thomas
T20I squad: Nicholas Pooran (captain), Shai Hope (vice-captain), Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Dominic Drakes, Akeal Hosein, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr, Rovman Powell
