Nicholas Pooran

Following a difficult 4-1 series loss to top team India, the team narrowly lost its opening match against the Kiwis by 13 runs, thanks in large part to the late-innings heroics of Romario Shepherd and Odean Smith.

Chasing a decent total of 185, the West Indies lost wickets in clusters in the middle overs but Shepherd and Smith added 58 for the seventh wicket.  Having cracked a score of 150 just once in the previous series, Pooran found some encouragement in the team’s opener, despite the result.

“I’m happy we are starting to find our template.  We know scores above 175, 180 can be tricky for us but we can see that we are actually starting to bat deep,” Pooran said, following the match.

“Guys are actually starting to play the situation a bit smarter.  Today Jason was in that position with Shamarh Brooks.  I thought both of them batted really well, they just never got that big over that was required, having said that, I think the template is coming nicely,” he added.

The West Indies and New Zealand will play the second match of the series on Friday.

The regional team is coming off a difficult run of matches in the ODI format where it lost its last nine in a row.  Recent history suggests the Windies will, however, be far more competitive in the T20 format.  The team is in fact coming off a 3-0 sweep of Bangladesh in 20 overs, before experiencing a reversal of fortunes in the ODIs.

The team has also typically competed well against India in the format, but it is the Indians who have ended up with the lion's share of the victories in recent years.  Pooran is hoping that particular statistic will be changed. 

“The guys are always up for the challenge against India, they want to show the world what they are made of as well,” Pooran told members of the media on Thursday.

“For some reason, we just turn up and perform well, unfortunately, we haven’t been getting the series wins and that is something that we need to happen.  We don’t want to perform as players and the team is still losing.  So, the only thing on our mind is to find a way to be successful.”

The West Indies and India will square off for five matches beginning on Friday.

The Windies failed to make it to the ongoing T20 World Cup main tournament for the first time after suffering defeats against Scotland and Ireland last week.

"Obviously, we don't know what the future holds but we will take it day by day," Pooran said ahead of the Super50 Cup, West Indies' regional one-day tournament, where he is set to lead Trinidad & Tobago.

"Again, it was a learning experience for all of us and this is our journey and our story. Time will tell what will happen but for now it is just about focusing on ourselves and how we can get better as individuals.”

The reaction to West Indies' early exit was sharp and swift, with CWI president Ricky Skerritt blaming the batters and promising that a "thorough post mortem" would be carried out. Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting was also critical of West Indies' performances, calling their first-round exit a "disgrace". Phil Simmons, meanwhile, has resigned as head coach, with his last assignment set to be a two-Test series in Australia, which starts next month.

Pooran also suggested that he would not step down as captain, but look to learn from these setbacks.

"I have been thinking about the last couple of months...Playing cricket is my dream and obviously I have had my test in life as well and this is another test for me," he said.

"I am a person that embraces challenges and this was just another one for me. It is not going to stop me. I am going to continue to learn from my experiences and again I am happy I can wake up in the morning and see that I have an opportunity to play cricket again."

Pooran's immediate focus will be to help Trinidad & Tobago defend their Super50 title, with the tournament scheduled to begin on Saturday.

Hetmyer was originally named in the 15-man squad for the Australia series and the World Cup before being replaced by Shamarh Brooks on Monday.

The Guyanese batsman, who recently captained the Guyana Amazon Warriors to a playoff appearance in the Caribbean Premier League, was scheduled to travel to Australia to join the squad on Saturday before informing CWI that he would be unable to make the flight.

He was then rebooked for a flight on Monday before, once again, informing the CWI that he wouldn’t be able to make it. CWI’s selection panel then unanimously voted to replace him with Brooks. Before scheduling the Monday flight, he was informed that failure to make the flight would leave CWI no choice but to replace him in the squad.

“To be honest, that’s not my focus at the moment,” Pooran said in a press conference on Tuesday.

“The decision has been made, there are consequences for your actions. At the moment, I just want to focus on why we’re here and how we’re going to achieve our goals. Obviously, we planned with him but, unfortunately, he’s not here and we have to plan differently now,” he added.

“He’s definitely an experienced cricketer,” was Pooran’s reaction when Australian journalists questioned him about Hetmyer’s replacement in the squad, Shamarh Brooks.

“He’s been in our white-ball set up for the last year and has been doing fantastic. He had a really good CPL as well. He has a vital role to play for us,” he added.

Brooks is fresh off a fantastic CPL playoffs where he had scores of 47, 109* and 47 to help the Jamaica Tallawahs win their third CPL title.

The West Indies will play matches on May 31, June 2 and June 4 in what will be their first-ever ODI series against the Dutch side and Pooran believes his players need to be in the correct frame of mind.

“Obviously, we don’t want to be complacent. We just saw the Netherlands play New Zealand and they did well,” said Pooran in a pre-match press conference on Monday.

“They didn’t get a win but, as a team, they played really well. They have some good players.”

Pooran, who recently ended a stint for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League, will be in charge in his first assignment as full-time West Indies ODI captain and provided some insight as to how he plans to lead.

“I’ll try to make the best decisions for the team. I’m very instinctive so a lot of my decisions you guys may not like but, hopefully, it will be the right decision for the team at that point in time. It’s similar to my batting so, hopefully, that goes well,” he said.

As for tomorrow’s game, Pooran says the team is prepared for battle.

“I believe that we’re ready to play. We’ve been here a couple days now and getting used to the weather. We came here to be successful and get some wins on under our belt to get some points so, hopefully, things can go our way and we can do the right things,” said Pooran.

The match is expected to begin at 4:00 am in Jamaica, 5:00 am ECT.

Speaking after the West Indies lost the final T20 by 17 runs on Sunday, Pollard said the tour was not a complete disaster.

“When you look at the games, it was definitely a close series but it just goes to show the fine line in international cricket in terms of the margins for error,” said Pollard.

“I thought the guys really put up their hands and gave a really good account of themselves so I don’t think we should feel disgraced by what has taken place.

"We’re not happy with losing but it is a work in progress. I’m very happy with the performances of some of the guys and we crack on. We have no international white-ball cricket for the next three months so we have time to find out what’s for the future.”

Among the players that Pollard was pleased with was his vice-captain Nicholas Pooran who starred with 184 runs in the three games.

“I thought Nicholas was outstanding. Three fifties in three games is fantastic for him and that’s the consistency that we ask for,” said Pollard.

Pollard’s Mumbai Indians teammate Suryakumar Yadav was India’s best batsman in the series with 107 runs in the three matches. The West Indies captain believes he is someone his batters should try to emulate.

“Surya is a world-class player. I’ve had the opportunity to play a lot of years with him so it’s great to see that he has grown well and is doing great things for himself and great things for India. He’s a 360-degree player and that’s something that our batsmen could try to emulate,” Pollard said.

An important part of a successful T20 outfit is laying out specific roles for specific players and Pollard, while being aware of this, says it’s also important to rotate to give others opportunities.

“I think everyone is clear in their role. Once you get an opportunity to play, you know your role so it’s about getting the experience and understanding what is needed at the international level. We’re not just chopping and changing for the sake of it, guys came in and had specific roles to play. We’re in a position where we have to give guys opportunities,” he said.

 The West Indies next white-ball assignment will a tour of the Netherlands in May-June where they will play three ODIs.

Firstly, they picked up a 39-run win over the USA on Sunday then a dominant 101-run win over Nepal on Thursday.

On Saturday, they are expected to face their first big test when they take on the hosts, Zimbabwe, who are also undefeated after two games.

Zimbabwe have had a pair of successful chases in their first two encounters. They needed only 44.1 overs and lost only two wickets on their way to overhauling 290 made by Nepal in their first game before needing even less time, 40.1 overs to be exact, to chase down 315 against the Netherlands in their second game.

West Indies batsman, Nicholas Pooran, says the Caribbean side is looking forward to the challenge of the in-form Zimbabweans.

“We expect the fans to come out and support Zimbabwe,” Pooran said.

“We’re playing international cricket and the home fans normally come out and support so it’s just going to be a normal game for us but again, the Zimbabwe fans are really passionate as well so we’re looking forward to the opportunity and the challenge against them,” Pooran added before emphasizing that every game they play in this tournament should be considered big.

“Every game is a big game so we don’t want to get into the habit of saying that USA or Nepal aren’t big games. They’re all big games but, in saying that, it’s nice to have batsmen that are in form going into a game like that. We all know that we need to be consistent and keep putting our hands up when the team needs us to,” he said.

The 27-year-old, who also got 115 against Nepal in the last game, also commented on the early start times of the matches and the condition of the Zimbabwean pitches.

“It makes the games very even,” said Pooran of the early start times.

“Obviously, the games are starting at 9:00 am here and there’s some moisture in the pitch. We know as a group that we need to fight that period out and, if we do that, it can be a really good cricketing pitch. I think the game becomes very equal and it’s all about who embraces the moment,” he added.

As it relates to the conditions, “it’s beautiful” was Pooran’s response.

“Coming from the Caribbean, I personally didn’t expect the wickets to be that good in Zimbabwe but I’ll take this any day,” he added.

West Indies, after setting a formidable total of 173-5, saw significant contributions from their top order. Johnson Charles led the charge with a solid 44, while Andre Russell's brisk 30 off 17 balls, alongside essential innings from Rovman Powell (23), Nicholas Pooran (22), and Sherfane Rutherford (22), set a challenging target for Uganda.

The Ugandan side, however, crumbled under the pressure of the West Indies' bowling onslaught, collapsing to a paltry 39 all out. Only Juma Miyagi managed to reach double figures, remaining unbeaten on 13. Hosein’s exceptional spell was well-supported by Alzarri Joseph (2-6) and a wicket each from Russell, Gudakesh Motie, and Romario Shepherd.

Reflecting on his outstanding performance, Hosein attributed his success to his dedication and strategic planning. "I think I needed this. In the nets and in the previous series, I felt the ball was coming out good but I was just not getting the rewards," Hosein explained.

“It is a lot of hard work. When you get success, guys are going to study you and have a plan. You always have to stay a step ahead. For me, it is just about trying to react to what the surface is doing and planning it out. Even if the ball is going both ways, you cannot do much if you don't plan. So, it is about planning the over well. I am happy to bowl wherever the team needs me."

Hosein’s disciplined approach and adaptability were evident as he dismantled the Ugandan batting lineup, showcasing why he is regarded as one of the top bowlers in the world.

Meanwhile, West Indies captain Rovman Powell praised his team's significantly improved performance compared to their nervy five-wicket victory against Papua New Guinea in the opening match on June 2.

"We talk about improving 10-15 per cent every match. Last game, we were flat so we just wanted to improve as a team," Powell remarked. "When you are playing at home, the pressure can sometimes get to you. So, a little bit of rust in the first match. We started off at 60 per cent, now up to 70-80 per cent and from here, it gets tougher."

Powell was particularly effusive in his praise for Hosein, emphasizing his consistent excellence. "He has been fantastic, that is why he is the number-three ranked bowler in the world. He has done it against Full-Member nations as well, and we expect him to do it against teams that are just coming into international cricket."

Looking ahead, Powell highlighted the challenges that lie in wait but expressed confidence in his team’s preparedness. "It is just for us to continue to play good cricket. We have played good cricket for the last 12 months or so. It gets tougher from here but we understand conditions and cricket is not easy in the Caribbean."

Paul and Hetmyer are two of seven Guyanese players retained by the Warriors. Big-hitting Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Chanderpaul Hemraj and Anthony Bramble were also retained as has been the emerging player Kevin Sinclair.

Odean Smith from Jamaica will also be back for the coming season.

“The Guyana Amazon Warriors Franchise has and will always be committed to the continued development of our local and regional players. From the inception of the CPL, we included young Guyanese players in our squad as part of the franchise’s mandate to provide opportunities to young aspiring Guyanese cricketers to assist in their overall development as professional cricketers,” said Omar Khan, Guyana Amazon Warriors Team Operations Manager.

“Shimron Hetmyer, Keemo Paul and Sherfane Rutherford have all benefitted from these opportunities prior to them becoming full-fledged members of our team. 

“We are extremely delighted that we were able to retain the majority of our local and regional players, including Nicholas Pooran and Brandon King, both of whom have been hailed by the cricket pundits as potential future stars of West Indies cricket and who were members of our team last year. The Guyana Amazon Warriors wish all of the retained players great success in the CPL 2020."

Retentions and signings of international players will be announced at a later date.

 This year teams can retain as many players from their 2019 squads as they wish. They could also transfer players to other teams and sign emerging players. 

 The CPL is scheduled to take place between August 19 and September 26, but the tournament organisers are currently watching the current situation with COVID-19 closely and are liaising with medical advisors and governments.

 A decision on whether the tournament can proceed as planned, or at a different time, will be made as soon as possible.

Anderson’s knock came off 52 balls and included four fours and seven sixes to help the Unicorns post a formidable 215-5 from their 20 overs after winning the toss.

It was an excellent recovery for the Unicorns who were reeling at 50-4 after seven overs before a crucial 129-run fifth wicket partnership between Anderson and Pakistani all rounder Shadab Khan. Khan made a rapid 30-ball 61 including four fours and five sixes.

Pacers Trent Boult and Kagiso Rabada took 2-38 and 2-32, respectively.

MI New York then made a solid effort to chase down their target, eventually finishing 193-5 from their 20 overs.

Tim David led the way with an unbeaten 53 off 28 balls while Captain Pollard contributed 48 and Pooran hit 40.

Former England pacer, Liam Plunkett, took 2-30 for the Unicorns.

The former England captain and 2005 Ashes hero will act as head coach for the Headingley-based side this summer, marking a formal return to cricket following some ad-hoc mentoring work with the national side this winter.

Superchargers finished bottom of the men’s table last year under Flintoff’s predecessor James Foster, meaning they have first pick this year as the teams fill their squads in an event being hosted at the Shard, with Birmingham Phoenix starting the women’s draft.

There are 75 places to fill across the men’s and women’s competitions, including a total of 26 spots for overseas talent.

Flintoff’s Superchargers have one of their top-tier £125,000 contracts up for grabs, as well as three lower-priced deals on offer.

The biggest foreign names on the table include Australia’s David Warner, New Zealanders Kane Williamson and Daryl Mitchell, Nicholas Pooran of the West Indies and Pakistan pair Babar Azam and Naseem Shah.

England’s 2019 World Cup winner Jason Roy, released by Oval Invincibles this year, is also available but has narrowed his field of options by setting a high reserve price of £100,000.

Given his expected participation in the American Major League Cricket, which has a minor scheduling clash with the Hundred, the hard-hitting opener may find himself unsold.

Dawid Malan – a former T20 world number one batter and the competition’s top run-scorer two years ago – is on the shelf at £50,000 and England’s Test vice-captain Ollie Pope comes in at a minimum of £40,000 after departing Welsh Fire.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore, currently tuning up for the Indian Premier League with Rajasthan Royals, was a winner in 2022 with Trent Rockets but is also waiting to find out where he will be plying his trade this time around.

The wicketkeeper-batter, who is hoping to nudge his case for England honours after a busy winter on the franchise circuit, told the PA news agency: “I’m looking forward to seeing where I go. I’ve always loved playing in the Hundred and the standard compares to anywhere I’ve played in the world.

“I feel like I’ll be coming back a better player from my experiences and the Hundred is a great benchmark to elevate yourself. We’ve seen guys getting picked by England based on their performances and I want to push myself forward.

“It’s best versus best and we know there’ll be three ‘gun’ overseas players in every team, so if you’re performing, you’re likely to get noticed.

“In the past I’ve played alongside great spinners like Adil Rahsid, Ish Sodhi, Tabraiz Shamsi and with batters like Joe Root, Alex Hales and Dawid Malan. The levels in training are so high and I can’t wait to find out who I’ll be joining up with this time.”

Amy Jones and Lauren Filer, who are both with England in New Zealand, are looking for new homes after leaving Birmingham Phoenix and London Spirit respectively.

Star names from the all-conquering Australia Women’s side are sure to attract plenty of interest, with Meg Lanning, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner and Annabel Sutherland vying for attention alongside the likes of Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deandra Dottin, Chamari Athapaththu and Suzie Bates.

Representatives from last year’s winning teams, Southern Brave and Oval Invincibles, will be present at the Shard to make their picks, while others dial in remotely and make selections online during each 90-second window.

However, the announcement came with a twist, as three big-name players from the Men's team—Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers, and Nicholas Pooran—chose to decline central contracts. Despite this decision, the trio confirmed their commitment to represent the West Indies in T20 Internationals throughout the contract year.

For the West Indies Men, the list boasted four new faces, each carrying the dreams and aspirations of a cricket-loving nation. Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, right-handed batter Keacy Carty, and left-handed batters Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Alick Athanaze, all earned their places in the prestigious list of centrally contracted players. Their inclusion signified not only individual achievement but also a commitment to the collective goal of steering West Indies cricket to new heights.

The Most Honorable Dr. Desmond Haynes, the Lead Selector for the West Indies Men's team, shared his thoughts on the selections, "With a busy year of cricket ahead, in all three formats, we have held several detailed discussions with the two Head Coaches on the brand of cricket they want to play. We are very clear in the direction we want to go. The players who have been offered contracts are among those who we expect to feature, as we look to build towards challenging for the top spot when we host and compete in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 on home soil."

Dr. Haynes emphasized the significance of the upcoming challenges, including Test Series in Australia and England and the preparation for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 in the 50-over format.

On the women's front, two all-rounders, Zaida James and Sheneta Grimmond, received their first central contracts. Ann Browne-John, the Lead Selector for the West Indies Women's team, expressed the selectors' confidence in the chosen players. "The selectors have identified a cadre of players who we believe can drive West Indies cricket forward. We have placed emphasis on the development of the younger players, which we view as pivotal in the pathway to the international level."

Contracted players (West Indies Men)  Alick Athanaze, Kraigg Brathwaite,  Keacy Carty, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Joshua Da Silva, Shai Hope,  Akeal Hosein,  Alzarri Joseph,  Brandon King,  Gudakesh Motie,  Rovman Powell,  Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales,  Romario Shepherd

West Indies Women:  Aaliyah Alleyne, Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Afy Fletcher, Cherry-Ann Fraser, Shabika Gajnabi, Jannillea Glasgow, Sheneta Grimmond, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Mandy Mangru, Hayley Matthews, Karishma Ramharack, Stafanie Taylor, Rashada Williams

An opening stand of 160 between David Warner (52) and Bairstow (97) put Sunrisers firmly in control, though they would have been slightly disappointed to finish on 201-6 given the platform laid for them.

Kings XI required something special if they were to chase down 202 and a 17-ball half-century from Nicholas Pooran (77) certainly gave them hope.

However, he was one of three victims for Rashid (3-12), whose stingy four-over spell proved pivotal as bottom side Kings XI collapsed to be dismissed for 132 inside 17 overs.

There were five wides in the first over of the match, setting the tone for an innings that was only slightly rescued from a Kings XI perspective by Ravi Bishnoi (3-29) and Arshdeep Singh (2-33), as Sunrisers scored only five boundaries in the last 38 balls.

Kings XI were three down inside seven overs, the dangerous KL Rahul - the leading run-scorer in this IPL - falling for 11, but Pooran's brutal hitting ensured Sunrisers were far from home and hosed.

However, Kings XI slumped from 105-3 to 132 all out, with Sunrisers claiming a win that moved them up to third in the table.

BAIRSTOW OUTSHINES MILESTONE MAN WARNER

Warner hit five boundaries from his first 14 balls and went on to make his 50th IPL half-century.

However, it was opening partner Bairstow's boundary-laden knock that really caught the eye, the England batsman smashing seven fours and six maximums in a fine effort.

POORAN HITS TARGET

West Indian Pooran scored the fastest half-century of this IPL by bringing up the milestone in just 17 deliveries.

Prior to the tournament he said making the most rapid 50 was on his agenda, and boy did he deliver as he smashed Abdul Samad for three sixes and a four to get there.

Pooran also has three of the five biggest sixes in this edition of the IPL - all over 100 metres.

It was not an easy win for the Caribbean men who would have suffered jitters when medium pacer Junaid Siddique took career-best figures of 5-13 to restrict West Indies to 152-9 from their 20 overs.

The West Indies owed their eventual match-winning score to a 95-run fourth wicket partnership between King and Captain Nicholas Pooran that spared the Caribbean men blushes after UAE won the toss and decided to bowl.

It seemed the right decision as the West Indies were struggling at 22-3 inside the Powerplay.

The dismissal of Evin Lewis (2), Johnson Charles (1) and Sharmarh Brooks (4) brought King and Pooran together in the fifth over and together they dragged the West Indies into a position of relative strength.

The West Indies captain hit five fours in his 31-ball 46 before he was bowled by Zahoor Khan, who had earlier dismissed Brooks. It was then 117-4 in the 15^th over.

The loss of Pooran’s wicket saw the West Indies slip to 122-7 as Siddique, who had earlier removed Charles, scythed through the middle order with three wickets in four balls claiming Reifer for one, King for 64 and Akeal Hosein without scoring.

King's runs came from 45 balls and included seven fours and two sixes.

Siddique picked up his fifth wicket in the 18^th over when he bowled Odean Smith for five.

Alzarri Joseph helped the West Indies past 150 with 15 well-needed runs from 11 balls before being the last man out, leaving Rovman Powell unbeaten on seven and Obed McCoy on four at the end.

Khan ended with 2-24.

Needing 153 for victory, UAE were 19-1 at the end of three when McCoy dismissed Chirag Suri for nine.

Muhammad Waseem and Vriityia Avarind took the score to 50 in the eighth when Reifer dismissed the latter for nine and CP Rizwan for one in the space of four balls as UAE slipped to 52-3 in the ninth.

The UAE ran into further trouble three balls later when Evin Lewis ran out Aayan Afzal Khan for a duck.

Waseem and Basil Hameed inched the score along to 66 by the 13^th over when Reifer claimed his third after dismissing Hameed for five. It was soon 82 for 6 in the 16^th when Odean Smith dismissed Kashif Daud for seven.

With nothing to lose UAE went for broke smashing 53 from the final 26 balls.

Waseem brought up his 50 with a six from the last ball of the 17^th over bowled by McCoy that yielded 16 runs. The pair also took 15 from the 19^th bowled by Alzarri Joseph, whose last ball was smashed for six by Zawar Farid, who ended unbeaten on 29 from the 14 balls he faced.

Waseem’s heroic unbeaten 69 came from 52 balls and included four fours and three sixes as UAE closed on 135-6.

Reifer took 3-13 while Odean Smith had figures of 1-20 from his four overs. McCoy gave up 49 runs from his four overs.

While Pooran, Pollard, who announced his IPL retirement earlier on Tuesday, and Super Kings' Dwayne Bravo were the most high-profile West Indians not retained, there were several other younger players from the Caribbean who were released by their teams.

Along with Pooran, Sunrisers Hyderabad let go of Romario Shepherd, Lucknow Super Giants released Jason Holder and Evin Lewis, Mumbai released Fabian Allen, Royal Challengers Bangalore let go of Sherfane Rutherford, Punjab released Odean Smith and Gujarat Titans did not retain Dominic Drakes.

On the flip side, several West Indians were retained by their franchises.

Obed McCoy and Shimron Hetmyer were retained by the Rajasthan Royals, Alzarri Joseph was retained by defending champions the Gujarat Titans, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine will once again suit up for the Kolkata Knight Riders, Kyle Mayers was retained by Lucknow Super Giants and Rovman Powell was retained by the Delhi Capitals.

The released players will get their chance to be snapped up by another franchise at the IPL player auction which will be held on December 23 in Kochi.

In the day/night fixture, Captain Pooran scored a 23-ball 40 as Gladiators scored 128-4 from their 10 overs. Pooran’s incredible form with the bat continued in the final, hitting five fours and a six as he and David Weise put on 74 runs in 30 balls after the side reached 54-3 after five overs.

Akeal Hosein had the champions in early trouble after dismissing Suresh Raina and Tom Kohler-Cadmore for seven and 11, respectively, and Wahab Riaz dismissed Andre Russell for nine in the first five overs.

Weise was even more brutal on the New York Strikers smashing two fours and four sixes in his 43 runs that came from just 18 balls. Pollard dismissed Pooran off the last ball of the innings to finish with figures of 1-16 in the only over he bowled.

However, Hosein was the best of the bowlers with 2-16 from his two overs.

Chasing 129 for victory, New York Strikers slumped to 29-4 midway the fourth over and were never able to recover. They suffered another blow when Pollard was forced to retire hurt after scoring 23 from 15 balls.

Jordan Thompson remained unbeaten on 22 while Azam Kkan contributed 16 and was the only other batter in double figures as Strikers could only muster 91-5 from their allotment of overs.

Josh Little, who claimed the wickets of Mohammad Waseem for a duck and Rashid Khan for eight, had the remarkable figures of 2-4 from his two overs. Meanwhile, Mohammad Hasnain took 2-12.

Weise was named Player of the Match for his exciting cameo and taking two catches.

Pooran, who has had scores of 77*, 80, 34, 50 and 38 prior to Sunday's final, amassed 345 runs during the tournament and was named Player of the Series.

McCoy was named in the original squad subject to medical clearance but has been ruled out of the upcoming series due to a knee injury.

Lead Selector, The Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes, said: “Roston gets an opportunity in the upcoming series as we see him being a versatile player who can be called upon at any stage in the game. We want to wish Obed the best with his rehabilitation programme and hope to see him back in West Indies colours soon.”

The three-match T20I Series bowls off on Saturday 25 March at SuperSport Park in Centurion.

The second match will be at the same venue the following day, while the third match will be at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Tuesday 28 March.

The T20I Series is preceded by a three-match One-Day International (ODI) Series.

The first two matches will be at Buffalo Park in East London on March 16 and March 18, with the final contest on March 21 at JB Marks Oval Potchefstroom.

T20I SQUAD

Rovman Powell (Captain)

Kyle Mayers (Vice Captain)

Shamarh Brooks

Yannic Cariah

Johnson Charles

Roston Chase

Sheldon Cottrell

Jason Holder

Akeal Hosein

Alzarri Joseph

Brandon King

Nicholas Pooran

Raymon Reifer

Romario Shepherd

Odean Smith

West Indies white ball match schedule in South Africa

Thursday, 16 March: 1st ODI at Buffalo Park, East London (day/night)

Saturday, 18 March: 2nd ODI at Buffalo Park, East London (day/night)

Tuesday, 21 March: 3rd ODI at JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom 

Saturday, 25 March: 1st T20Is at SuperSport Park, Centurion

Sunday, 26 March: 2nd T20I at SuperSport Park, Centurion

Tuesday, 28 March: 3rd T20I at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg (night)

It is a sentiment shared by his Kings XI Punjab teammate Mandeep Singh, who said as much after the pair powered KXIP to an eight-wicket victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders last October.

However, as the veteran opening bat soldiers on in the twilight of his illustrious career, he believes his successor is already on the scene waiting to assume the mantle of greatest T20 player.

Gayle, who turned 41 last September, believes Nicholas Pooran, a player who KXIP Coach Mike Hesson described as the “young Gayle” back in 2019, possesses all the tools to be the heir apparent.

Pooran, who was Gayle’s KXIP teammate last season, impressed while scoring more than 350 runs in 14 matches during the 2020 IPL. And while he has not set the world alight for the Melbourne Stars in the ongoing Big Bash League, Gayle believes the 25-year-old Trinidadian is well on his way to becoming a great player.

“He is a bright prospect. He has a bright future ahead of him,” Gayle told Sportsmax.TV on Saturday while he was in attendance at the launch of Olympian Michael Frater’s cannabis dispensary in Kingston.

“He is going so well, had a great IPL, beautiful striker of the ball, super, super talented guy.”

While acknowledging that Pooran is not yet the finished product, Gayle said the signs are there that he is getting better.

“His batting is improving. He is getting better and better. I think he is getting to know his game, how to build an innings, which is very important; how to take down whichever bowler at any particular time. Once he can master those things as quickly as possible he is going to be even more dangerous,” Gayle said while revealing that the Trinidadian star, possesses other important traits as well.

“We play together and we talk and he is a guy who never shies away from asking a question and he likes to talk about cricket as well.

“He is never shy to ask and learn and tries to improve on his mistakes. He seeks advice, which is good. I like that about him,” Gayle concluded.

The Australian off-spinning all-rounder is back with the Amazon Warriors for the third year having first played for the Franchise in 2018, and he has taken 23 wickets at an average of 22 in his 23 matches for the team.

Green stood in as captain during the 2018 season so this will be his second spell in charge of the Amazon Warriors. A firm fan favourite, Green was part of the Guyana team who finished as runners up at the Hero CPL in both the 2018 and 2019 seasons and he will be hoping he can lead the team to their first title in 2020.

“I am hugely excited to be back with the Amazon Warriors for another season and honoured to be leading them for this season. Guyana is somewhere I am hugely fond of and we are very confident that this is the year that we can win the Hero CPL title for our amazing fans back home,” Green said.

Nicholas Pooran, the Franchise’s marquee player, and one of the most exciting T20 batting talents in the Caribbean has been appointed as the vice-captain of the team and will definitely lend quality support to Chris Green. Pooran, who joined the Franchise last year, was the youngest players to play in the CPL in the first year of the League in 2013. He has played in all the editions of CPL to date and brings that experience to the team.

“Chris has been a fantastic part of the Amazon Warriors family since he joined us for the 2018 season and he was the natural choice to take the reins for this season. He is a fantastic cricketer and a fine leader and we are very confident that he will guide the team to a successful season,” said Omar Khan, Guyana Amazon Warriors Team Operations Manager.

“Nicholas as Wicketkeeper/batsman and one of the inspirational players of the team last year has demonstrated leadership qualities which have seen him elevated to the vice-captain position this year.’’

The 2020 Hero CPL season bowls off in Trinidad and Tobago on September 10.

This is in addition to 90 players across the region who are contracted to Territorial Board Franchise Squads.  

The West Indies Men’s contracted player list sees fast bowler Jayden Seales, left-arm seamer Obed McCoy and allrounder Odean Smith awarded international retainer contracts for the first time. The West Indies Women’s contracted player list sees allrounders Mandy Mangru and Jannillea Glasgow along with batter Rashada Williams awarded international retainer contracts for the first time, all of which are development contracts.

For 2022-23, CWI has changed the Men’s retainer contract structure to offer player contracts across all formats of cricket, compared to specific red or white-ball contracts in previous years.  The offer of retainer contracts to all players follows an Evaluation Period of performances from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022, which is also supported by statistics from the previous 2019 -2020 Evaluation Period. This allows for all players to be appraised immediately after the Evaluation Period and provides a notice period before new contracts start on 1 July 2022. The system is designed to reward hard work and performance results. 

“Congratulations to all the players who have been offered contracts.  We think this is a dynamic group, with the right mixture of experience and youthfulness to properly represent the people of the Caribbean. With general retainer contracts, it gives us a pool of talented and dedicated cricketers, who can take West Indies cricket forward in years to come,” said West Indies Men’s Lead Selector the Hon. Desmond Haynes.

West Indies Women’s Lead Selector, Ann Browne-John also offered her congratulations.

“The selectors have placed a great focus on the young developing players because these are the ones who will help to build the team as we look towards the future. The panel believes that the combination of experienced players and the emerging players will give a good base as we continue to prepare teams for international matches and the T20 World Cup early next year,” she said.

“I am delighted for all the players who have been offered retainers for the upcoming period. This represents a significant investment in the ongoing development of our international players whilst also ensuring our best players are available for selection,” said CWI Director of Cricket Jimmy Adams.

Full list of contracted players:

West Indies Men

Jermaine Blackwood
Nkrumah Bonner
Kraigg Brathwaite
Joshua Da Silva
Jason Holder
Shai Hope
Akeal Hosein
Alzarri Joseph
Brandon King
Kyle Mayers
Obed McCoy
Nicholas Pooran
Rovman Powell
Kemar Roach
Jayden Seales
Romario Shepherd
Odean Smith
Hayden Walsh Jr.

West Indies Women

*Denotes developmental contract 

Aaliyah Alleyne
Shemaine Campbelle
Shamilia Connell
Deandra Dottin
Afy Fletcher
Cherry Ann Fraser *
Shabika Gajnabi *
Jannillea Glasgow *
Chinelle Henry
Mandy Mangru *
Hayley Matthews
Anisa Mohammed
Chedean Nation
Karishma Ramharack
Kaysia Schultz *
Shakera Selman
Stafanie Taylor

Rashada Williams*