Key players rested as West Indies announce squad for T20I series against South Africa

West Indies will be missing some of their key players in the upcoming T20I series against South Africa at home, following their 1-0 loss in the Test series. Notable absentees include Andre Russell and former captain Jason Holder, who have both been rested by Cricket West Indies (CWI) due to workload management.

Andre Russell, who played in the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup and then participated in The Hundred, requested a break to recover. Jason Holder, who has been heavily involved in recent Test matches against England and South Africa, will also take time off. Both players will work closely with the CWI science and medicine team during their rest period, according to Miles Bascombe, CWI’s Director of Cricket.

Additionally, Alzarri Joseph, who did not play in the recent Test series, and Brandon King, who is still recovering from a side strain, are also missing from the squad. Roston Chase has been appointed as the vice-captain for the series, supporting Rovman Powell.

Despite the absence of these big names, Shimron Hetmyer, who hasn’t played a T20I since December 2023, remains in the squad. Meanwhile, Fabian Allen, a spin-bowling all-rounder, makes his return to the team after missing out on the home World Cup. Allen recently had a successful stint in the Lanka Premier League, winning the title with Jaffna Kings.

Head coach Daren Sammy is optimistic about the upcoming series, seeing it as a chance for the team to reset and prepare for future challenges. He highlighted the importance of this series as the team already has its sights set on the next T20 World Cup in 2026.

All three T20Is will be played at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba and will be part of double-header events with the Women’s CPL 2024, adding to the excitement of the series.

West Indies squad for SA T20Is: Rovman Powell (C), Roston Chase (VC), Alick Athanaze, Fabian Allen, Johnson Charles, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Obed McCoy, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd