Windies name unchanged squad for first two India ODIs

201
Shannon Gabriel, who suffered a side strain during the Afghanistan series, continues to be on the sidelines. © Getty

Windies have named the same 13-man squad for the first two ODIs of the five-match series against India that featured in the 1-1 series draw against Afghanistan, played in June.

Windies will be without their premier pacer Shannon Gabriel, who suffered a side strain during the second ODI against Afghanistan. In that series, Miguel Cummins had replaced the injured Gabriel for the third and final match which was eventually washed out without a ball being bowled. The home side had also drafted in Kesrick Williams as a replacement in their squad.

With the Afghanistan series ending in a 1-1 draw, Windies’ chances of avoiding the qualifying tournament for the ICC World Cup 2019 only slimmed. The results in their home series against India, that begins on June 23 at the Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad and Tobago and goes on till July 6, will help shape the fate of the hosts as far as the next big ICC event is concerned.

Squad for first two ODIs: Jason Holder (C), Devendra Bishoo, Jonathan Carter, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shai Hope (wk), Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammad, Ashley Nurse, Kieran Powell, Rovman Powell, Kesrick Williams