ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – As expected, explosive all-rounder Andre Russell has been recalled to a West Indies 13-man squad for the first two matches of the highly anticipated five-match Twenty20 International series against South Africa bowling off in Grenada today.
The 33-year-old Russell has not represented West Indies in 16 months for a variety of reasons but will now link up with the likes of veterans Dwayne Bravo, Chris Gayle and captain Kieron Pollard, to form a formidable unit for the June 26 to July 3 series at the Grenada National Stadium.
“Andre Russell will add that ‘X’ factor to the team. He is an impact player with both bat and ball and lends greater depth in both departments,” said chief selector Roger Harper.
Selectors have retained the core of the group which beat Sri Lanka 2-1 in a three-match series back in March, with all-rounder Jason Holder, Evin Lewis and Lendl Simmons all set for action in the coming week.
Twenty-one year-old off-spinner Kevin Sinclair, who made his debut against Sri Lanka, has found favour with selectors again as has ageing speedster Fidel Edwards who was recalled last March at age 39 for his first international assignment in nearly a decade.
Harper said the series was an important one as selectors continued to hone their squad for the T20 World Cup later in the year.
“The aim is to build on the performance against Sri Lanka earlier this year, to build confidence, while determining our best squad and team as we run into the ICC T20 World Cup,” he noted.
There is no room, however, for left-hander Shimron Hetmyer who has now lost his place in the West Indies setup in all three formats.
The attacking 24-year-old missed out on the T20 series against Sri Lanka after failing to meet Cricket West Indies’ minimum fitness standard but has since qualified.
Hetmyer has not represented West Indies since November last year, on the tour of New Zealand.
He is among five players excluded from the 18-man provisional squad announced last month with speedsters Sheldon Cottrell and Oshane Thomas, left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein and leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr all overlooked.
SQUAD – Kieron Pollard (Captain), Nicholas Pooran (Vice Captain), Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Fidel Edwards, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Andre Russell, Lendl Simmons, Kevin Sinclair
