Injury eliminates Alzarri Joseph - West Indies name uncapped batsman Sampson in World Cup squad

PAARL, South Africa:

The West Indies have unveiled their 15-man squad for the International Cricket Council Men's T20 World Cup 2026, set to be played across India and Sri Lanka next month, with uncapped Guyanese batter Quentin Sampson earning a surprise call-up and speedster Alzarri Joseph ruled out due to injury.

The same squad will immediately test their mettle in a three-match T20I series against South Africa, beginning in Paarl on Tuesday, as vital preparation for the global tournament.

The selection panel, led by coach Daren Sammy, has opted for a blend of seasoned campaigners and fresh talent, sticking largely to the group that co-hosted the 2024 edition.

NOTICEABLE GAPS

However, the post-2024 retirements of T20 icons Nicholas Pooran and Andre Russell have left noticeable gaps in the middle order and finishing power.

To fill the void, the Windies will rely on the experience of all-rounder Jason Holder and hard-hitting opener Johnson Charles, who is set to feature in his fifth T20 World Cup.

Both were part of the triumphant 2016 campaign in India, a memory Sammy and the team will hope to channel.

"We know what it takes to win in those conditions," Sammy said at the squad announcement on Monday. "It's about combining that experience with the energy of the new faces."

The most notable new face is Sampson, whose inclusion comes on the back of a breakout 2025 Caribbean Premier League season with the Guyana Amazon Warriors, where he scored 241 runs at a strike rate of 151.57.

FEARLESSNESS

Despite a modest return of 35 runs in three T20Is against Afghanistan last week, selectors have shown faith in his power-hitting potential.

"Quentin brings fearlessness and clean striking," said captain Shai Hope at the press conference. "We saw in the CPL that he can change games."

The squad welcomes back several first-choice players, including captain Hope, Roston Chase, Akeal Hosein, and Sherfane Rutherford, who missed the Afghanistan series due to SA20 commitments.

Alzarri Joseph's absence with a hamstring strain is a significant blow to the pace attack, with Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales, and Romario Shepherd expected to share the fast-bowling duties.

The series against the Proteas offers a final chance to fine-tune combinations before the World Cup opener. After Paarl, the teams meet in Centurion (January 29) and Johannesburg (January 31).

Seven days later, the West Indies begin their World Cup campaign in Kolkata against Scotland on February 8, followed by key clashes against England (February 11), Nepal (February 15), and Italy (February 19).

- CMC