Cricket West Indies announced their squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia and have made some surprise calls. Evin Lewis will return to the top of the order for the West Indies for the upcoming T20 World Cup, with the selectors leaving out Andre Russell and Fabian Allen.
Lewis was overlooked for selection during this phase on fitness grounds. The CWI chief selector Desmond Haynes and director of cricket Jimmy Adams have been critical of the players for failing to meet fitness standards. Haynes, however, has welcomed Lewis back with open arms.
CWI announced the squad on Wednesday during the innings break of the Caribbean Premier League game between Jamaica Tallawahs and St Kitts & Nevis Patriots. Speaking to the commentator Ian Bishop, Haynes said Lewis has been their best white-ball player and deserves an opportunity.
“Someone like Evin Lewis, we all agree that he’s our best one-day cricketer, he’s done so well for us over the years. We had a meeting with him, and he’s committed to West Indies cricket, and I believe he should be given the opportunity,”
Haynes said.
Andre Russell, who last played for the Windies during the previous World Cup, has been left out of the squad due to poor form. He has managed only 37 runs across five innings in the ongoing CPL season, with the highest score of 17.
“We had a meeting with Andre Russell earlier in the year. We’re still not convinced yet, he’s not performing as well as we would like. I think in the situation with Andre Russell, we’ve just decided to just move on, and look for someone who’s in form, and doing well in the T20 format,”
Haynes added.
Fabian Allen missed out on the selections as Haynes said there was only one slot for a left arm spinner, which went to Akeal Hosein. Sunil Narine also misses out. Haynes revealed that captain Nicholas Pooran reached out to Narine, but they don’t think he wants to play.
The leg spin all-rounder Yannic Cariah was the surprise selection, being chosen ahead of Hayden Walsh Jr. The left-arm seam all-rounder Raymon Reifer, who has been in superb form in the CPL, was picked over Romario Shepherd. Doing well in the CPL has also helped Johnson Charles get a recall for the first time since December 2016.
