FOR WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS WINDIES NAME STRONG SQUAD

West Indies name strong squad for World Cup qualifiers

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Men’s Selection Panel today named the squad to participate in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 Qualifiers. The eight-team tournament will be played in Zimbabwe from 18 June, as the West Indies look to secure one of the two final places in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup to be played in India later this year.

Ahead of the qualifiers, the West Indies will have a three-match One Day International (ODI) Series against United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Sharjah for which the Selection Panel also named the squad for those matches to be played on 5, 7 and 9 of June. These matches will form part of the preparations for the qualifiers.

CWI has given permission to players participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL) to return to the Caribbean for a short break before arriving in Zimbabwe for the qualification tournament.There are recalls for allrounder Keemo Paul and left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, who last played in ODIs last July against India in Trinidad. The squad for the three ODIs in Sharjah also includes four uncapped players – left-handed batter Alick Athanaze, as well as allrounders Kavem Hodge, Dominic Drakes, and Akeem Jordan.

Lead Selector, the Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes said:

“Paul is a three-dimensional player, who can bowl the new ball effectively, he’s dynamic in the outfield and he can also make vital runs. He is now fully recovered from injury and with his skill-set we see him as a potential match-winner for us. Motie was excellent in the Test matches in the Zimbabwe earlier this year, where he took 19 wickets, and we anticipate similar conditions for the qualifiers. We believe he will again relish the chance to bowl in those conditions. He is also a capable batsman and good in the outfield. The team played well in South Africa earlier this year, when we drew the ODI Series 1-1 under the new captain. We were encouraged by that display and we expect them to continue to grow and create that synergy.”

Haynes added: “We see this as a crucial tournament as we look to secure one of the two places left in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in India. Therefore, we have selected a balanced team which we believe is well equipped to get the job done in the conditions we anticipate in Zimbabwe. It will be a challenging tournament, it will be intense and competitive, there is no doubt about that. In speaking to the players, they are fully aware of the job at hand. We are happy with the preparations and the mindset of the players, and everyone is clear about their roles in the squad.”

“For the matches against the UAE in Sharjah, this presents a chance for some other players who are not in the squad for the qualifiers, to get an opportunity at the international level as we look to expose more players.”