ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Davendra Bishoo will replace injured all-rounder Dwayne Bravo in the West Indies squad at the World Cup.
The WICB announced late yesterday that the leg-spinner will leave the Caribbean in the next few days to head the prestigious tournament, which is being staged in India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh
The 25-year-old Bishoo was the Most Valuable Player of last year’s CT20, helping Guyana to win the title, and qualify for the Champions League T20 in South Africa, and took another six wickets in last month’s competition.
He also collected 10 wickets in the WICB Regional One-day competition last October, and was one of the leading bowlers in the tournament.
Bishoo’s rich vein of form has continued in the WICB Regional first-class championship, where has so far collected 15 wickets at 20.73 apiece. It includes his four for 61 from 25 overs against Barbados yesterday.
He has appeared in 20 first-class matches, 10 List-A One-day matches, and 13 T20s. He also played for West Indies-A against Pakistan-A with some success.
The decision of the West Indies selectors to choose Bishoo also gave short-shrift to fast bowler Tino Best.
He was named one of three reserves by the selectors for the World Cup, but his well-publicised recent travails with the Barbados national team most likely prompted the selectors to have a serious rethink about him.
Barbadian officials disciplined Best over his conduct at a training session, and he was dropped for the second round match against the England Lions in the Regional first-class championship.
He returned to play against Jamaica, but understandably he was not at his best, and the national selectors dropped him for the ongoing fourth round match on the road against Guyana.
Bravo suffered a major injury to his left knee during the defeat against South Africa last Thursday.
He has been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament and is expected to be out of the game for a minimum of four weeks. He will return home to begin rehabilitative work.
Bishoo will be the third replacement player that West Indies have called upon for the World Cup.
West Indies flew out batsman Kirk Edwards and wicketkeeper/batsman Devon Thomas last Monday, following hamstring injuries to opener Adrian Barath and wicketkeeper/batsman Carlton Baugh Jr.
