Kraigg Brathwaite in ODI squad; T20 call-ups for Powell, Pooran

Opening batsman Kraigg Brathwaite has been called up to West Indies’ ODI side for their upcoming series against Pakistan in the UAE. Brathwaite has played 31 Tests since his international debut in 2011, but is yet to play an ODI or a T20. The T20I squad includes two uncapped players – all-rounder Rovman Powell and wicketkeeper-batsman Nicholas Pooran.

Chris Gayle is not a part of the T20 squad, having made himself unavailable for selection, while Lendl Simmons has missed out due to medical reasons. Gayle was part of the West Indies T20 squad for the two-match T20I series against India in Florida last month, but missed both games after failing to pass a fitness test ahead of the first T20I.

The ODI squad also includes batsman Evin Lewis and fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, who are uncapped in the format. Lewis, who made his T20I debut earlier this year, recently scored a 48-ball century against India in Florida opening the batting in place of Gayle, while Joseph made his international debut in the home Test series against the same opposition.

Pooran impressed in this year’s Caribbean Premier League, scoring 217 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 197.27 for Barbados Tridents, while completing eight dismissals behind the stumps. Pooran’s inclusion boosts West Indies’ wicket-keeping options in the T20 squad, which include Andre Fletcher, Johnson Charles and Chadwick Walton, who last played for West Indies in January 2014.

Powell, who made his first-class debut last season, also showed promise in CPL 2016 for Jamaica Tallawahs, scoring 228 runs at an average of 25.33 and taking two wickets with his medium-pace.

With Kumar Sangakkara taking up the wicket-keeping gloves for Tallawahs, Walton played in the CPL as a batsman and finished as the second-highest run-getter for the side behind Gayle, with 301 runs in 13 innings, which included two fifties.

The T20I squad does not include former captain Darren Sammy, who was axed from the role last month. Sammy was also excluded from the T20I squad that played against India in Florida. Gayle, Sammy, Dwayne Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Andre Russell and Samuel Badree were ineligible for ODI selection as they did not play in the domestic 50-over tournament last season, made mandatory by the WICB.

West Indies will start their tour with three T20Is against Pakistan, between September 23 and 27, followed by the three-match ODI series which starts from September 30. The three-Test series, which includes a day-night match in Dubai, starts from October 13 and West Indies’ squad for that format will be announced later.

West Indies ODI squad: Jason Holder (capt), Sulieman Benn, Carlos Brathwaite, Kraigg Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Jonathan Carter, Johnson Charles, Shannon Gabriel, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Sunil Narine, Ashley Nurse, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin, Marlon Samuels

West Indies T20I squad: Carlos Brathwaite (capt), Samuel Badree, Dwayne Bravo, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Jason Holder, Evin Lewis, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor, Chadwick Walton (ESPNCricinfo)

Cover photo caption: Kraigg Brathwaite