PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – National selectors have gone with a star-studded lineup for Trinidad and Tobago Red Force’s Super50 Cup campaign next month, with nine West Indies players featuring in the 15-man squad.
West Indies white ball skipper, Kieron Pollard, announced to lead the side since last month, will be joined by the likes of Darren Bravo, Evin Lewis, Nicholas Pooran, Sunil Narine, Lendl Simmons, Jason Mohammed, Denesh Ramdin and Khary Pierre all with international experience.
Two other players – Akeal Hosein and Kjorn Ottley – are poised to make their West Indies debut after being selected for the one-day tour of Bangladesh, while fast bowler Jayden Seales recently toured New Zealand as part of the West Indies side but failed to play a game.
“It is a very experienced team led by the West Indies white-ball captain Kieron Pollard,” chief selector Rajendra Mangalie told the Express newspaper.
“There are also plenty West Indies players in the team, mixed in with some younger players so it is definitely a very strong team.”
There was no room for 23-year-old batsman Jyd Goolie who scored heavily in the trial matches nor for his former West Indies Under-19s teammate, Kirstan Kallicharan who also notched several scores.
Isaiah Rajah and Tion Webster, the latter of whom scored over 200 runs for Red Force along with two half-centuries in the 2019 tournament, have also been overlooked.
Only on Friday, Rajah struck an unbeaten 110 and Webster, 81 not out, in another practice game as Red Force continued their preparations for the tournament.
Mangalie conceded with the plethora of West Indies players to chose from, it was difficult finding room for younger players.
“It is a tough team to break into with all these experienced players available,” he said.
Bravo, one of 10 West Indies players declining selection for the ongoing tour of Bangladesh, will serve as Pollard’s vice-captain.
Red Force reached the semi-finals of the last Super50 Cup before going down in an upset at the hands of Leeward Islands Hurricanes.
The Super50 Cup runs from February 7-27 in Antigua.
SQUAD – Kieron Pollard (captain), Darren Bravo (vice-captain), Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Jason Mohammed, Nicholas Pooran, Sunil Narine, Denesh Ramdin, Imran Khan, Akeal Hosein, Ravi Rampaul, Jayden Seales, Kjorn Ottley, Anderson Phillip, Khary Pierre.
