India Vs West Indies T20 Series: THIS Star Batter Returns To Windies Squad, Rovman Powell Named Captain

West Indies have announced their squad for the five-match T20I series against India beginning on Thursday.

The Cricket West Indies (CWI) senior men’s selection panel announced the Windies squad for the five-match T20I series beginning in Tarouba, Trinidad on Thursday. West Indies and Lucknow Super Giants star batter Nicholas Pooran has been recalled into the T20I side after he chose to skip the ongoing three-match ODI series.

Pooran has been in sensational form with the bat for MI New York side, smashing a brilliant 137 not out in the inaugural Major League Cricket (MLC) final against Seattle Orcas on Sunday night in Dallas. The West Indies team will be led by Delhi Capitals all-rounder Rovman Powell.

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Can't stop watching @nicholaspooran's 1__3__ sixes he hit today!!_ #MLC2023 #MLCFINAL pic.twitter.com/OynKTi2xnD — Major League Cricket (@MLCricket) July 31, 2023

All 15 members of the provisional squad will travel to all matches. There will then be a 13-member squad for each match from which the final XI will be selected.

Wicket-keeper/batsman Shai Hope, who is captain of the ODI team, and fast bowler Oshane Thomas have earned recalls to this format. Thomas played his last match in this format in Pakistan in December 2021 while Hope played his last match in India in February 2022.

 “The squad is selected with the next ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in mind. We are looking at various plans as we try to find the right combinations. As we prepare; we are looking to build a unit which we believe can do the job when we host the global event in just under a year. We have some match-winners in our line-up and we will look to have the right kind of preparation, starting here in Trinidad on Thursday,” WI lead selector Desmond Haynes said in a release.

“We also have other players who could come into consideration going forward, with the Caribbean Premier League starting next month, others will come into the reckoning,” Haynes added.

The Brian Lara Cricket Academy will host the opening match on Thursday. The teams then move to the Guyana National Stadium for the second and third fixtures on Sunday 6 August and Tuesday 8 August. The series will climax with the blockbuster weekend at the Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida for the final matches on Saturday 12 August and Sunday 13 August. All matches start at 10:30am local time (9:30am Jamaica Time).

West Indies squad: Rovman Powell (Captain), Kyle Mayers (Vice Captain), Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Obed McCoy, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd, Odean Smith and Oshane Thomas

India vs West Indies T20 Series Schedule

3 August: 1st T20I, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad

6 August: 2nd T20I, National Stadium, Guyana

8 August: 3rd T20I, National Stadium Guyana

12 August: 4th T20I, Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida

13 August: 5th T20I, Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida