There is no doubt that Shimron Hetmyer has the ability, but his commitment to West Indies cricket is often questioned. West Indies head coach Daren Sammy has taken a gamble on Hetmyer, choosing him on the 15-man squad for the tournament.
Hetmyer, 27, has failed multiple fitness tests during his career and also missed his flight to the last T20 World Cup. During his time in West Indies colours he has also made himself unavailable for selection.
In the December 2023 home T20 series against England, Hetmyer was dropped by the Windies owing to poor form.
The talent of Hetmyer was evident early on as he led West Indies to the 2016 International Cricket Council Under-19 World Cup title. It was not long before he was selected for the West Indies senior team as he was chosen in 2017 to play on the Test and One-Day teams and by 2018 was in the T20 squad.
Earmarked by many as the long-term successor to Kemar Roach in the West Indies pace attack, Antiguan quick Alzarri Joseph has been a fixture in the West Indies team ever since his starring role in the Caribbean team's run to the International Cricket Council (ICC) under-19 men's World Cup crown in 2016.
Tall, aggressive and business-like in his approach, the 27-year-old Joseph has also been pinpointed as a future leader by Cricket West Indies (CWI), and he was elevated to the role of vice-captain for the June 1-29 Twenty/20 World Cup. Joseph also served as vice-captain for the Windies in their most recent Test and One-day international (ODI) tours to Australia earlier this year.
At the under-19 World Cup in February 2016, Joseph took a team-high 13 wickets, and his fiery spell of three for 39 helped the Windies to a five-wicket win in the final versus India.
The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Senior Men’s Selection Panel has unveiled the 15-member squad set to tour England for the three-Test Richards Botham series, which starts at Lord's on Wednesday, 10 July 2024.
Test matches between these two rivals date back to 1928 when the West Indies made their first trip to England. The Teams now compete for the Richards Botham Trophy, named in honour of West Indies legend Sir Vivian Richards and England great Lord Ian Botham.
Captain Kraigg Brathwaite will continue his leadership role, with fast bowler Alzarri Joseph again serving as Vice-Captain. The team is scheduled to arrive in England on 23 June for a training camp at Tonbridge School, ahead of a 4-day warm-up match at Beckingham commencing on the 4 July.
CWI Lead Selector, the Most Honorable Dr. Desmond Haynes, expressed confidence in the squad's composition, “The squad has been shaped with both experience and emerging talent, ensuring a strong balance as we face the challenge of playing in English conditions. Over the past year, our red-ball program has continued to develop. Following our victory in the last Test in Australia in January, it is evident that we are seeing the fruits of that investment. Each player selected has earned their place through consistent performances and hard work. We are confident that this blend of seasoned players and emerging faces will perform admirably against England.”
The euphoria of an IPL triumph achieved exactly a week to the day, on a heady Chennai night, may have suddenly felt foggy as Andre Russell walked into bat with West Indies needing 40 off 24. Papua New Guinea had pushed the hosts into a corner and were daring to dream of an upset on a tricky Providence surface. Even someone of Russell's vintage was unlikely to have it easy to be able to strike from get go.
Until then, PNG had refused to be intimidated by the plethora of ball-strikers, each capable of hitting bigger than the other. They may have even had West Indies possibly question their own choices at a point, like the decision to sacrifice power-hitting depth for all-round squad balance as they fielded Roston Chase and Rutherford over Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer.
The match, although not sold to capacity, still had a considerable number of home fans clenching their fists as Russell took strike against John Kariko, who had bowled his three overs until then with immaculate control and guile. Phil Simmons, West Indies' former T20 World Cup winning coach now with PNG as consultant, was furiously chewing gum. There was tension.
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua — The West Indies Women’s Selection Panel have named a squad of fifteen players for the eagerly anticipated series against Sri Lanka. This exciting series, which starts next month, will feature three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three T20 Internationals (T20Is), with the first match taking place on Saturday 15 June in Galle.
The team is once again led by Captain Hayley Matthews who has been in exceptional form, supported by Vice-Captain Shemaine Campbelle.
Lead Selector Ann Browne-John stated “The ODI series serves as a crucial stepping stone towards automatic qualification for the Women’s Cricket World Cup, providing an essential opportunity for the team to gain more valuable points in the Women’s Championship. The tour also allows the squad, during the T20I series, to continue to prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which takes place in September in Bangladesh. The similar Indian subcontinental conditions will help the team to refine their skills strategies, build synergy, and assess their strengths and areas for improvement against quality opposition. The experience gained here will be invaluable as they progress towards the T20 World Cup, ensuring they are well-prepared and in peak form for the challenges ahead.”
