Brandon will captain West Indies in T20 three-match series against South Africa without IPL players

Brandon will captain West Indies in T20 three-match series against South Africa without IPL players

Before T20 world cup, WI to playoff three-matches T20 series with SA.

As the T20 World Cup dates close, preparation for the World Cup is thriving aggressively. World teams are declaring their playing XI for the tournament. However, West Indies team players aren’t available for the three-match series against South Africa, due to the ongoing season of IPL in India. West Indies, present Captain Rovman Powell is currently occupied in the IPL 2024 season for the Rajasthan Royals. In the absence of Powell, Brandon King will lead the squad against South Africa for the three T20 match series.

Not even Powell, a group of West Indies players will also miss the three matches on May 23^rd, 25^th and 26^th against South Africa, due to the still involvement in the IPL season 2024 and some of them kept rested apart of the following tournament. This includes Andre Russell from Kolkata Knight Riders Shimron Hetmyer and Alzarri Joseph from Rajasthan Royals and Sherfane Rutherford from Royal Challengers Bengaluru who is with teams in the playoff stage, While Nicholas Pooran and Shai Hope are rested due to the super playoffs from Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals respectively.

Joseph and Rutherford will be included in the T20I squad should their teams fail to enter the IPL final. The likes of Matthew Forde and Kyle Mayers who were both in touch with selection for the T20 World Cup will also be seen in action against South Africa with the series likely to define first reserve players who might be called in case of an injury during the tournament.

King had been selected to captain the West Indies A team on the recent trip to Nepal but injury prevented him from travelling and Chase was chosen in his place.

The chief selector for the West Indies quoted in the conference “The matches are among the few remaining for T20 International games before the T20 World Cup begins,  which gives players a chance to enhance their skills and be as well prepared as possible for the World Cup.”

Head coach Daren Sammy said: “It has been since we last played as a team during the Australia series but we just finished a very intense training last week and early this week in Antigua and now we have the opportunity to incorporate some of our players coming from the IPL and set some momentum for the coming World Cup.”

The series may witness the presence of Shamar Joseph who has been included in the World Cup team in the T20I format. He featured in just one match for LSG during the current IPL season going on.

West Indies will face Australia in another warm-up match after hosting South Africa on May 30.

West Indies Squad for T20 Series against South Africa:

Brandon King (capt), Roston Chase, Alick Athanaze, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Mathew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Obed McCoy, Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh