No place for Narine, Pollard in Windies squad

Jason Holder will lead West Indies in the 2019 World Cup as the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) announced the squad late on Wednesday.

Big-hitting batsman Chris Gayle will be playing his fifth World Cup as the squad comprises some big names like Andre Russell, Darren Bravo, Shai Hope, Shimron Hetmyer and Kemar Roach to name a few. Russel has played only one ODI since 2015.

Kieron Pollard. Photo: Collected

The flamboyant Kieron Pollard, veteran batmsman Marlon Samuels and star spinner Sunil Narine are some of the big names missing from the 15-member provisional squad.

The squad was picked by the newly appointed interim selection panel. The panel is chaired by Robert Haynes, along with Jimmy Adams and West Indies’ newly appointed coach Floyd Reifer.

Speaking after announcing the squad, Robert said, “The selection panel looked at the skill set of the players and the combinations. We have looked at the wickets that have been used in England in the past, players’ fitness and their urge to represent West Indies. We came up with a balanced team who will represent West Indies in England.”

SQUAD: Jason Holder (captain), Andre Russell, Ashley Nurse, Carlos Brathwaite, Chris Gayle, Darren Bravo, Evin Lewis, Fabian Allen, Kemar Roach, Nicholas Pooran, Oshane Thomas, Shai Hope, Shannon Gabriel, Sheldon Cottrell, Shimron Hetmyer