Hetmyer, Hosein, Pooran, Russell return for T20I series against England

St John’s (Antigua):  Akeal Hosein, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran, and Andre Russell, who missed the recent Sri Lanka tour due to personal reasons, rejoin the squad picked by Cricket West Indies (CWI) for the first two games of the upcoming T20I series against England, starting with the first match at the iconic Kensington Oval in Barbados. The return of these top players will add depth and experience to the formidable 15-man squad captained by Rovman Powell for this exciting series. Medium pacer Matthew Forde, recently named Player of the Series in the ODI series against England, steps in to replace fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, who is serving a two-match suspension. A subsequent announcement will reveal the squad for the remaining games in Saint Lucia. This highly anticipated five-match series promises thrilling action as two cricketing powerhouses clash on Caribbean soil. The series starts with back-to-back matches in Barbados on November 9 and 10 before moving to Saint Lucia for the final games on November 14, 16, and 17. The West Indies T20I team has been a dominant force at home, remaining unbeaten in four T20 International Series since 2023. This impressive run has propelled them up the ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings, showcasing their resurgence on the global stage. Head Coach Daren Sammy expressed his enthusiasm for the highly competitive series, where the team is aiming for consecutive series wins against the visitors. Sammy said: The West Indies T20I Squad: Rovman Powell (captain), Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Terrance Hinds, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, West Indies vs England T20I Series Schedule: 1st T20I: Nov 9 – Kensington Oval, Barbados. 2nd T20I: Nov 10 – Kensington Oval, Barbados 3rd T20I: Nov 14 – Daren Sammy Stadium, Saint Lucia 4th T20I: Nov 16 – Daren Sammy Stadium, Saint Lucia 5th T20I: Nov 17 – Daren Sammy Stadium, Saint Lucia –IANS