The West Indies selection panel, headed by Chairman Roger Harper, l faces an uphill task selecting the 14-man T20I squad to face New Zealand next month.
The two-time World T20 champions have a pool of match winners capable of single-handedly winning games and are sought after the world over.
However, with only 14 touring, it would seem as though some players may be left out of the side altogether.
It seems hardly likely that Kieron Pollard will be forced to relinquish duties as the format’s captain since he recently led Trinbago Knight Riders to their fourth Caribbean Premier League title.
Pollard not only led the side to glory but copped the Player of the Series award in notching up 207 runs at a strike rate of 204. He also took eight wickets.
The 33-year-old veteran of over 500 T20s is currently plying his trade for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.
Pollard’s all-round prowess could be a crucial component of the side especially with most of the hard-hitting all-rounders currently contending for one spot.
Andre Russell is expected to retain his place in the side but with an injury scare during the IPL, it is uncertain if he will be available for selection.
Russell’s exploits in the format are well-known and were showcased in the CPL where he scored 222 runs at a strike rate of 141 and picked up three wickets for Jamaica Tallawahs.
Russell’s Tallawahs team-mate and former West Indies T20 captain, Carlos Brathwaite, enjoyed success in the CPL with the ball, taking 10 wickets but with just 60 runs from nine innings and a strike rate of 78, the man who struck four consecutive sixes in the final of the 2018 T20 World Cup to give his side victory seems past his prime with the bat.
Tallawahs captain Rovman Powell was the talk of the Caribbean when he burst on the scene as a hard-hitting all-rounder who had a knack of taking wickets.
However, he only scraped 106 runs in 10 innings and went wicket less in the CPL.
Keemo Paul’s selection could be a tough call to make with nine wickets and 77 runs in the CPL.
At just 22 years of age, however, his potential exceeds those statistics and can put him in contention as another seam-bowling all-round option.
Paul’s Guyana Amazon Warrior all-round partner, Romario Shepherd, also had relative success with six wickets and has been transformed into one of the better death over bowlers around.
His ability to clear the boundary ropes with the bat could put his name up for consideration.
On the other hand, West Indies Test captain, Jason Holder, had an exceptional series in the CPL where he scored 192 runs at a strike rate of 140. He also took 10 wickets. This performance should place Holder in the selectors’ radar.
Another player who could be under the microscope is Dwayne Bravo. The 37-year-old made a return to International T20 cricket this year on the West Indies tour to Sri Lanka after a four-year hiatus but did not prove effective.
He took two wickets and his eight overs cost 65 runs.
Nevertheless, he managed nine wickets in the CPL with an economy rate of 7.5
The all-rounders will likely play the supporting role to left-arm seamer, Sheldon Cottrell, who enjoyed success in the CPL and was snapped up by Kings XI Punjab as one of the highest paid players in the IPL currently.
Express pacer Oshane Thomas, has been expensive in the past and did not feature extensively in the CPL.
However, on the tour to Sri Lanka, Thomas showed his worth by taking six wickets from two matches including a career best of five for 28.
Kesrick Williams also staked a claim for a spot in the touring party, finishing with 13 wickets in the CPL, the most by any Caribbean player. Williams was a member of the tour to Sri Lanka but did not feature. The 30-year-old seamer had been allegedly reported for a suspect action during the CPL.
Fabien Allen missed out on the CPL but his reputation as a left-arm spinner with big hitting capabilities could be enough to place him in contention for New Zealand.
Roston Chase made use of a call-up to St. Lucia Zouks to show that he is not just suited for the longer format and can provide the off-spin option.
He is also a stable batsman in the middle and ended as the leading run scorer for the side with 225 runs while his economy rate of 4.65 was also the best for his side to go with his nine wickets.
Leggie, Hayden Walsh Jr., was not able to match his breakout 2019 CPL season with this year’s performance but managed seven wickets at an economy rate of 7.65 in a relatively low-scoring tournament.
Over in the batting department, Lendl Simmons solidified himself as one of the best openers in the region, finishing as the CPL’s leading run-getter with 356 runs. His scores included an unbeaten 84 in the final, 54 not out in the semi-final and 96 in the group stages.
At the top of the order, it is likely that Evin Lewis could make a return, should his recent fitness issues be behind him.
Lewis put speculation about his fitness to rest, scoring 235 runs with a best of 89 for St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots.
His performance could be enough to squeeze out Brandon King from the side. King had an unsatisfactory CPL, scoring 116 runs and was dismissed without scoring four times in his 11 innings.
Explosive 21-year-old Sherfane Rutherford, like King, had a forgettable campaign in the CPL. Like Lewis he has had difficulties with his fitness but with youth and potential on his side, the selectors could give him the nod if he is fit enough.
Darren Bravo has also put his hands up for selection after scoring 297 runs for Trinbago Knight Riders.
Playing the anchor role in the side, Bravo’s ability to control the game could complement the likes of Shimron Hetmyer and Nicholas Pooran in the middle order.
Hetmyer was Amazon Warriors’ highest run getter with 267 runs while his teammate, Pooran, scored 245 runs including the tournament’s lone century in addition to seven dismissals behind the stumps.
With Bravo, Pooran and Hetmyer showing form, the selectors may be forced to leave out Shai Hope, who has been out of form. His eight innings in the CPL yielded 118 runs and he could not make the playing XI on the tour to Sri Lanka.
Because of the Novel Coronavirus pandemic, Hetmyer, Paul and Darren Bravo opted not to tour England with West Indies earlier this year. It is unclear if they would be available for this tour. Hetmyer and Paul are currently playing in the IPL.
West Indies will take on New Zealand in three T20Is on November 27, 29 and 30 before playing two Tests while West Indies A will play two Four-Day matches.
Possible T20 squad: Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Darren Bravo, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard (c), Fabien Allen, Sheldon Cottrell, Oshane Thomas, Kesrick Williams, Dwayne Bravo, Keemo Paul, Hayden Walsh Jr.
