Opening batsman Johnson Charles will be back in West Indies colours for the first time since the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in June, as he was on Thursday announced in the 15-man squad for the eagerly awaited CG United T20 International (T20I) home series against Bangladesh. Keacy Carty is also in line for his T20I debut.
The final series for the year on home soil will see the return of the experienced Charles, who has been sidelined for the past two series due to injury.
Charles led the Saint Lucia Kings to their maiden Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) title in September, compiling 452 runs from 12 innings. It was the most prolific season for the 35-year-old since he helped the Barbados Tridents win the title in 2019.
Carty, meanwhile, also parlayed a strong domestic run into his first T20 International call-up. The 27-year-old from Sint Maarten made 246 runs at a 30.76 average in this year’s CPL. He also has four fifties and a 100 in 27 One Day International innings.
Head coach Daren Sammy welcomed the inclusion of Carty, whose maiden century against England in November, emphasising the importance of depth in the batting lineup for a competitive series.
“He has shown us that he could be a batter in that format, and playing against Bangladesh, a team we cannot take for granted, we need all hands-on deck,” Sammy said.
Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford will not be available for this series as they are fulfilling commitments in the Big Bash League. Akeal Hosein will also miss the final match of the series for similar reasons.
The team will be captained by Rovman Powell, with Brandon King as vice-captain. The series will be held from December 15-19, 2024, at the Arnos Vale Stadium in St Vincent & the Grenadines.
The squad was selected with a clear focus on continuity and preparation for the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup. Sammy added: “The squad was carefully selected with the players available to us, and I believe this is our most settled squad with the experience needed to win championships.”
Sammy expressed the importance of closing the year on a high, particularly for fans in St Vincent & the Grenadines.
“We all would love to give the Caribbean people a good pre-Christmas gift by winning the series to close off the year, especially for the people of St Vincent & the Grenadines who didn’t get to see the West Indies team during the World Cup.”
West Indies CG United T20I Squad:
Rovman Powell (Captain)
Brandon King (Vice-Captain)
Keacy Carty
Johnson Charles
Roston Chase
Justin Greaves
Terrance Hinds
Akeal Hosein
Alzarri Joseph
Evin Lewis
Obed McCoy
Gudakesh Motie
Nicholas Pooran
Romario Shepherd
Shamar Springer
Team Management Unit (TMU):
Head Coach: Daren Sammy
Manager: Rawl Lewis
Assistant Coach (Bowling): James Franklin
Assistant Coach (Fielding): Rayon Griffith
Assistant Coach (Batting): Floyd Reifer
Physiotherapist: Denis Byam
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Ronald Rogers
Massage Therapist: Darc Browne
Analyst: Avenesh Seetaram
Media & Content Officer: Jerome Foster
West Indies vs Bangladesh CG United T20I Home Series Schedule:
1st T20I: 15 December 2024
2nd T20I: 17 December 2024
3rd T20I: 19 December 2024
Photo credit: Getty Images
