It shouldn’t be a herculean task to select the West Indies T20 World Cup cricket squad given it’s encouraging performances against top level competition in recent times.
When the 15-man squad is announced within the next 24 hours, not many changes should be expected from the lineups that defeated England, India and South African and lost narrowly to Australia within the last 12 months.
Although India and England were not at full strength while touring the Region, lead selector Desmond Haynes and coach Darren Sammy ought not veer far from the one that faced challenging conditions in Australia in January.
The exception though is whether batsman Kyle Mayers should be retained or Shimron Hetmyer be recalled.
In normal circumstances it should not be a straight swap given that Mayers bats at the top of the order and Hetmyer in the middle. But in the world of T20 competition, almost every aspect of the game’s shortest format is unconventional, and batsmen should be capable of producing in any position in the order.
Both Hetmyer and Mayers have been failures for West Indies in international bilateral series of late, resulting in one or the other getting the nod by default due to the lack of noteworthy challengers.
Unlike some of his predecessors, Hetmyer doesn’t care much where he bats, based on recent pronouncements, stating that the team’s interest comes first. So, it means he shouldn’t be averse to opening the innings.
Nevertheless, his continued limited lower order finishing role for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League is not helping his cause for a recall after failures against India and England.
Although it should not be a major yardstick to name a World Cup squad, the IPL is all the selectors have to work with presently, given the circumstances of him, Mayers and a few others.
Batting primarily at number seven, Hetmyer has only taken the crease six times from nine games, being not out four times. It has resulted in improbable stats for a grand total of 70 runs to go with a 35 average and 195 strike rate.
For Mayers in his second IPL, it’s been groundhog times for the robust left hander, not getting a final 11 pick so far with more than half of his Lucknow Super Giants team’s games done so far.
A talented all-rounder , it’s been a mystery why Mayers’ slow medium swing bowling is not more utilized in T20 competitions.
By now he should’ve been a regular starter in the T20 circuit around the world in the mold of Andre Russell.
As a result, Hetmyer should get the edge in the final 15 due to the active status he enjoys with the Royals, albeit batting at number seven for the most part.
Current West Indies T20 captain Rovman Powell, also ought not to be pleased with his struggles to break into Lucknow’s final 11, but given his improved consistency with the bat and in leadership in recent times, he has a major role ahead in the team’s quest to regain the title.
Similarly it should be a no-brainer for Roston Chase’s inclusion, but with a change of designation. Of late he has come into his own as West Indies’ most impactful bowler in T20 competition whenever given the exposure.
His right arm off-spin has consistently been worth its weight in gold with great economy, seemingly going unnoticed as the focus has always been on his batting.
The solitary win West Indies salvaged against Australia in January was due in part to Chase’s taming of the swashbuckling Aussie batsmen, with that miserly spell of 2-19, producing an economy rate of 4.75 that helped curtail the home team’s run-chase.
It was immediately after Glenn Maxwell and company had walloped the Windies attack, missing Chase , for 241 and 213 runs in the first two games which the former handily won.
Given the Barbadian’s overall international T20 career ER of 6.59 which few of his Regional contemporaries can match, he should be picked as a bowling allrounder in the shortest format. With Gudakesh Motie, a natural wicket-taker, the pair should be in West Indies’ starting lineup at the expense of Akeal Hosein , who while good, is not as impactful as the former two, but deserves a place in the 15.
The debate over Shai Hope’s inclusion should end in his favour given his consistent improvement in strike rate and aggregate for both West Indies and in the IPL, where he forced his way into Delhi Capitals’ starting 11 after being overlooked earlier in the competition.
Sherfane Rutherford was good enough in Australia to maintain his place while Brandon King and Johnson Charles are likely to get in via default. As well, Shamar Joseph should be in at the expense of Oshane Thomas, who has wasted the numerous opportunities the selectors have bent over backwards to provide him Even against lowly Nepal Thomas was unable to shine last week and should make way even if Joseph’s solitary IPL outing was unimpressive. However, the latter’s penchant for rapid improvement is deserving of him notching a World Cup debut call-up.
Nicholas Pooran will have the another opportunity to fully utilize his talent on the biggest stage while Russell, who intends to make this World Cup his swansong representation for West Indies, is playing at his consistent best presently.
Jason Holder has also done enough of late to sneak in even if his disastrous Super Over display against the Netherlands in the 50 overs WC qualification last year still rankles.
With the home advantage and history of success in the game’s shortest format, West Indies would be a dark horse favourite to notch a hat-trick of title wins, even without Sunil Narine.
