West Indies

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Tuesday, that subject to government approval, England will contest three matches with the Windies at the Ageas Bowl and Old Trafford.

Root's men were set to face the Windies in a three-Test series beginning on Thursday with matches at The Oval, Edgbaston and Lord's but that was not possible due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The England captain may be absent for the first Test of the re-arranged series at the Ageas Bowl, starting on July 8, with the ECB exploring ways for him to leave the bio-secure bubble that will see players isolated from the general public.

Root said: "The start of July is the due date, so that complicates things slightly. 

"In terms of the bubble, and the pregnancy, it's being discussed with the medical team. At the minute, it's still open for discussion, how that will finally look, I'm not exactly sure. It will have to come down to government advice."

Root confirmed he would be at the birth even if it required him missing the first Test and said of prospective deputy Ben Stokes: "I think if Ben was captain he would be fantastic.

"One of his great qualities as a leader is he sets the example. He drags people with him and gets the best out of the players around him.

"He'll have people wanting to play for him and short-term he'd be a huge success."

Root declared with the tourists 185-5 after batting on during a morning session on day five that included short delays due to rain in Barbados.

The Windies were never likely to chase down a target of 282 to win, but Brathwaite led by example with 56 not out after making 160 in a marathon first innings, to frustrate England with support from Joshua Da Silva (30no) and Jermaine Blackwood (27).

West Indies batted out 65 overs and were 135-5 when Root shook hands with Brathwaite, setting up a series decider in Grenada.

Opener Brathwaite set a record for the most balls faced by a West Indies batsman in a single Test – 673 – on the back of his incredible first-innings vigil.

Jack Leach took 3-26 and debutant Saqib Mahmood 2-21 on the last day as England were unable to force a victory, having also failed to bowl West Indies out on day five in Antigua.

Root had no regrets about not ending England's second innings earlier in the day.

He said in the post-match presentation: "It's always a tricky one. With how small this ground is and how strong the winds are, a couple of overs of someone coming off – you don't want to make it too close."

Root praised spinner Leach, who racked up 94.5 overs in the match on a flat pitch.

"It's really pleasing to see Jack play the way he has. You can see how much he enjoys it out there," Root said. "He's bowling with great control and looks threatening. It's great to see him find his feet and look comfortable at this level."

Marathon man Brathwaite was delighted by the fight his side showed under pressure.

He said: "I thought it was a tremendous effort. England bowled extremely well. It was good as a team we could fight and put 400 back. Fighting at the end, that is the attitude we want."

Brathwaite wants to see a surface in Grenada that will give the Windies paceman more of an opportunity to do damage.

He added: "We put in a very big effort, but we want a result in the last Test. We have to see what they produce [the pitch for the final Test] but let's hope it has something for the pacers."

Stokes will lead his country for the first time when the three-match series starts in Southampton on Wednesday, with Root absent as his wife is due to give birth to their second child.

The all-rounder will be open to advice from his team-mates and welcomed input from Root.

"The best message that I've received was when I got my photos done yesterday with the blazer," Stokes said on Tuesday. "Rooty just left a message on the hanger which said: 'do it your way.'

"When I first got asked I said I'd be open to opinions. Just because Joe's not here, that doesn't mean I'm not going to use him.

"Joe's always been very open and willing [to take] to advice from players, so I think I'd be stupid to go away from that. 

"We've got so much experience in this team that it would be silly not to lean on that if I feel like I need some advice."

Stokes added: "With Joe and his personal situation it's been a case of letting him deal with that

"I haven't been on him too much but I'm sure once the Test match starts, I know he'll be at home watching and I know that his phone will always be available for me to get in contact with him if I need to."

The tourists were 2-1 winners when the two nations did battle in the Caribbean last year, but both have a new head coach and Stokes believes England are a different proposition now.

"I think there's a lot more clarity with everybody," he said. "We have an identity as a Test team.

"Whereas in times gone past, a few lads might have felt under pressure with guys knocking the door down in a negative way, now we look at that in a positive way where there's competition for places in the team.

"If you're not performing well as a player, there's someone right behind you ready to come in. That's a great place to be in, especially as an international side.

"We have an identity now as a Test team. For us going forward, it's about building on that identity.

"We have a goal of becoming the best team in the world so we're building towards that."

Root's position as skipper was thought to be under threat in the wake of England's crushing 4-0 Ashes series defeat to Australia.

That embarrassment proved the final straw for much-maligned head coach Chris Silverwood and managing director Ashley Giles, who were both dismissed this week.

There have been plenty of calls from fans and pundits alike for Root to also be removed from his position, though it would appear he is safe for the time being.

In his first news conference since temporarily taking over from Giles, Strauss said: "Having spoken to [Root], it is absolutely clear the extent of his commitment to taking this England cricket team forward. He has got incredible motivation and energy to do that.

"He is bruised, hugely disappointed by what went on in the Ashes – that goes without saying and many others are in the same boat – but he has the respect of the players, they all play for him and obviously he sets a magnificent example both on and off the field.

"I'm very happy to give him my support, and make sure that we've got the right sort of structure around him to take the pressure off him and allow him to do his job on the pitch."

Graham Thorpe, who operated as Silverwood's assistant, has not been so fortunate.

A statement confirmed the former England batsman "has left his position" with immediate effect.

Strauss said: "I'd like to thank Graham for his work over many years on the England coaching staff and wish him the best for the future."

England are due to begin their three-Test tour of West Indies on March 8.

England are toying with deploying Stokes as a specialist batsman and taking bowling responsibilities off the Durham all-rounder for the series decider against West Indies.

The third Test gets under way on Friday at Old Trafford, the same venue where Stokes' brilliance paved the way for England's 113-run victory in the second match of the series.

Stokes is carrying a niggle that England would hate to become anything more serious, but Root knows just how difficult it will be to prise away any responsibility from the 29-year-old, who scored 254 runs in the previous contest and took three wickets.

"He wants to affect the game. That's the beauty of him," Root said. "He's desperate to be the man to turn things around and to win you the game."

Stokes has the ability to decide matches with bat or ball, but England have a lot of cricket to come in the weeks and months ahead, which is why Root is determined to at least not over-stretch him.

"There were a few occasions where I did check in with him first and second innings [in the second Test] and I said 'I think that’s enough' and he wanted one more [over]," Root said.

"He has matured as a player now and you sometimes have to put trust in a player to tell you when enough's enough.

"I feel like he's in a place where he can do that. That's the sort of commitment that you want to see from senior players and it feeds down into the rest of the group.

"He's definitely okay to play as a batsman. It's just how much of an impact he can have with the ball.

"We want to make sure we get the best out of Ben and I'm sure he wants to ride a wave.

"And it must be quite difficult when you're playing as well as he is to maybe have to rein it back in now and again. It is important that he's looked after."

Should Stokes let others take the bowling strain, it will mean England either going in with one fewer bowling option, or sacrificing a batsman to bring in another seamer.

They have abundant options, with Jofra Archer, James Anderson and Mark Wood vying for places with the pace attack from the second Test: Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Sam Curran.

Root knows he cannot pick all six, and culling players could be particularly tough, given how close the skipper is to some members of the squad.

"It shouldn't come down to them being your mate or not," Root said. "If guys are upset and annoyed about it, that shows that they care and if they're annoyed with me for a few days then I have to deal with that."

Archer's inclusion in the 14-man squad reflects an eagerness to get back on the field, having been sidelined for the second Test after breaching strict protocol rules between the first Test in Southampton and England's current residency in Manchester by briefly returning to his Hove flat.

Root condemned as "disgusting" the social media abuse that Archer has faced recently, and stressed the Sussex quick has his full backing.

"I've had some good conversations with Jofra. It is important he's in a mentally good enough place to play the game," Root said. "We're all here to support him. I'm very excited to see him smiling and enjoying his cricket."

While understandable attention surrounds Archer, it could yet come down to the tried and tested partnership of Anderson and Broad opening the bowling for England.

"It's exciting to know there's pretty much 1,000 wickets between them and they could be leading the attack," Root said. "They're two of our best cricketers of all time and I feel they've got a lot left in both of them."

Then in 2016, the outspoken Jamaican scored an unbeaten 85 from 66 balls to help the West Indies pull off a remarkable victory chasing down England’s 155 for 9.

Carlos Brathwaite stole the show at the end with his unbeaten 34 from just 10 balls and which included four consecutive sixes in the final over bowled by Ben Stokes, but it was Samuels who kept the West Indies in the game after they had stumbled to 107-6 and needing 49 from just 27 balls.

Samuels has since retired, but the West Indies might already have a replacement in their camp in the form of Roston Chase.

The lanky Barbadian believes he is the man to take over that very important role as the West Indies go in search of a third consecutive title.

“I see myself playing a similar role,” Chase said while speaking with the media from the West Indies training base in Dubai on Thursday.

“I played for the St Lucia franchise for the past two years where I come in mostly after the Powerplay and knock it around and pick up the ones and twos and the occasional boundary when the ball is in my area to score so it’s an easy role for me.

“I like that role and with the power-hitting guys that we have, my role is just to give them the strike and let them do their thing but if the ball is in my area I will put it away.”

Chase demonstrated as much during the 2021 Hero Caribbean Premier League in the summer when, after a slow start to the season, he was among the league's leading run-scorers with 446 runs. Those runs came at a remarkable average of 49.55 and strike rate of 144.33.

That success, he revealed, came as the result of an adjustment he made to the way he was playing.

“Early on in this year’s CPL, the pitches were a bit difficult. They had a lot of grass but the grass was kind of spongy. It wasn’t like even grass for the ball to slide on. The ball was bouncing a bit; that was a bit hard so I just thought that after the first couple of matches I was trying to go at the ball a bit too hard. It was a wicket that you needed time to get in first and then it became easier,” he explained.

“So that is what I told myself after the first couple of games, just give myself a bit of time at the crease and then let my stroke play take over from there.”

He might have to make another adjustment for the pitch in Dubai where the West Indies will open the defence of their title on October 23 against England.

“We’ve had three training sessions so far and basically, the pitches have been coming on pretty good. The only issue I see with the pitches is that they’re keeping low, so you probably have to stay low when you’re executing your shots and that should work but the pitches are coming on a lot nicer than the ones we usually get in the CPL, so it should be a bit easier to get some runs,” he said.

Led by the experienced Roston Chase as Captain and supported by Alick Athanaze as Vice-Captain, the West Indies Men’s A Team will engage in a series of five (5) Twenty20 matches against the Nepal Senior Men’s Team. This tour holds significant importance as it serves as another phase in preparation leading up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The series also marks a historic occasion as it is West Indies' first-ever tour to Nepal.

Roston Chase will take on the responsibility of captain for the first time at this level. Commenting on Chase’s selection as Captain, Dr. The Most Honorable Desmond Haynes, CWI’s Lead Selector, emphasized Chase’s consistent display of diligence and leadership skills. Dr. Haynes remarked, “Chase has exhibited over the past few years an impressive work ethic and proven leadership qualities” He further noted, “No doubt since Chase made his T20I debut in October 2021, for the West Indies against Bangladesh he has continued to make considerable strides.”

Brandon King sustained an injury during the West Indies Championship and is rehabilitating. Meanwhile, Evin Lewis advised that he was unavailable for selection.

Dr. Haynes further emphasized the significance of this squad stating “I am confident this Nepal tour marks a crucial step forward in our preparatory phase for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. It presents an invaluable opportunity to get our players who are not in the IPL back on the park playing competitive T20 cricket as well as provides the chance for us to expose a few emerging prospects.”

In preparation for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, White Ball Head Coach, Daren Sammy said “From a coaching perspective, the Nepal tour couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. It offers us a chance to refine our World Cup squad, defining roles and personnel more clearly. Additionally, with nine players in the IPL, we can truly gauge and push the limits of our T20 team’s depth.”

The tour’s opening T20 fixture will bowl off at Tribhuvan University on April 27th, 2024.

FULL SQUAD:

Roston Chase (Captain)
Alick Athanaze (Vice-Captain)
Fabian Allen
Kadeem Alleyne
Joshua Bishop
Keacy Carty
Johnson Charles
Mark Deyal
Andre Fletcher
Matthew Forde
Obed McCoy
Gudakesh Motie
Keemo Paul
Oshane Thomas
Hayden Walsh

The coaching and support staff accompanying the squad are as follows:

Head Coach: Floyd Reifer

Assistant Coach: Rayon Griffith

Physiotherapist: Neil Barry

Strength & Conditioning Coach: Shayne Cooper

Team Manager & Analyst: Avenesh Seetaram

The deadline for submission of the West Indies World Cup squad is May 1, 2024. Prior to the World Cup, the West Indies team will host South Africa for a 3-match T20 series from May 22 - 26, 2024.

The win was largely due to a mature 42 from 27 deliveries by Player of the Match Roston Chase, along with notable contributions of 33 from Brandon King and 27 from Nicholas Pooran.

Powell was candid about his team's performance, giving credit to PNG for their strong showing. "Credit has to be given to PNG. I think their plans were simple and they played good cricket. I think PNG's score of 136 for 8 was a little, 10 or 15, too much. And as a bowling group, that's something we need to work on. They played smartly," he said.

He also praised Chase for his all-round contribution. "That was very good. Started from a bowling effort, I think he bowled pretty well. And coming at the end, when we were under pressure, coming there with composure, and to come out with a winning innings was great for us. I think we can be better in all three departments," Powell noted.

Chase, who was named Player of the Match for his unbeaten 42, expressed satisfaction with his performance and the team's victory. "I'm very pleased. To start the tournament with a win is always good. I had to take it home for the team, and I did it," he said.

Reflecting on his strategy during the match, Chase said, "I knew from our first innings bowling, it was always hard for batsmen coming in to start. I gave myself time, backed myself. I've been putting in a lot of hard work so I just backed my preparation."

Chase also acknowledged the efforts of Papua New Guinea. "They're not an A-list team, but we don't want to take any team lightly in the World Cup. We came out with the mentality that we were playing Australia or India. We started slowly but we had a chat at the halfway stage and the guys just wanted to rally and put the best foot forward."

The West Indies will look to address the issues highlighted by their captain as they prepare for their next match. Powell's candid reflection on the team's performance indicates a commitment to improvement, with hopes of delivering a stronger showing in the upcoming games.

Despite the less than flawless victory, starting the tournament with a win provides a solid foundation for the West Indies. With key players like Chase demonstrating resilience and maturity, the team aims to build on this performance and strive for excellence as they progress through the World Cup.

They travelled to London immediately following their participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL), as their visa interviews could not have taken place in India due to the IPL bio-secure protocols. Despite having the interviews the day after their arrival, they are both still in London awaiting the appropriate visas to be able to travel to the Netherlands.

With the final match to be played at the VRA Cricket Ground, Amstelveen on Saturday, Shepherd and Powell will now fly directly to Pakistan to join the ODI squad for the three-match series.

 West Indies have an unassailable 2-0 lead following wins by seven wickets on Tuesday and by five wickets on Thursday. The West Indies had 13 players available for the first two matches and will have the same squad now for the final contest.

The West Indies Squad will travel from Amsterdam to Pakistan on Sunday for matches at the Multan Cricket Stadium on June 8, 10 and 12.

Powell acknowledged the team's fighting spirit but acknowledged that the chase for Australia's formidable total of 242 runs was marred by the loss of crucial wickets.

In his post-match comments, Powell reflected on the team's performance, stating, "The boys showed courage, but we kept losing wickets at key intervals and failed to get big partnerships. But credit to Australia, they bowled well. We knew if we were going to get close, we had to have wickets. Those things do happen when chasing 240. It's very difficult."

While Powell praised the resilience of his team, he also highlighted the challenge of chasing down such a mammoth target and emphasized the importance of building substantial partnerships. The West Indies skipper acknowledged the effectiveness of the Australian bowling attack, recognizing that they played a crucial role in defending their imposing total.

Powell, who led from the front with an impressive 63 runs from 36 balls, got key contributions from Andre Russell's explosive innings of 37 from 16 balls and Jason Holder's valuable 28 from 16 in the team's 207-9 in pursuit of the massive target.

The West Indies captain singled out Glen Maxwell, whose exceptional innings of 120 runs from 55 balls proved to be the decisive factor in Australia's commanding total. “He tends to have a shot (for anything they bowled at him) it, but we strayed from our plans a little."

Despite the loss, Powell maintained hope and confidence in the team's abilities, expressing optimism about their chances in the upcoming third and final match of the series. He conveyed the team's determination to secure a consolation win, stating, "A 2-1 series [is] better than 3-0. The guys are still confident."

As the West Indies prepare for the concluding match of the series, Powell and his team are focused on regrouping, learning from their experiences, and aiming for a positive outcome to conclude their series against Australia.

In 11 matches, 10 of which he batted, Powell scored 106 runs at an average of 11.77 and had a top score of 33. His strike rate was an anemic 86.88.

As the West Indies prepares to take on New Zealand in the first of three T20 matches on November 27, Powell said he wants to put the poor CPL behind him and rebound to the form he knows he is capable of.

“It’s an important tour, not just for the West Indies but also for me,” Powell said while addressing the media during a virtual press conference from Christchurch, New Zealand where the team is in quarantine.

“Not scoring a lot of runs in CPL, that is behind me. It was a difficult competition for me but, I have brighter things now. I have three T20 games that I am looking forward to so hopefully I can put my best foot forward with quality training sessions leading up to this game.”

During the tour, the West Indies could end up playing before crowds, something Powell has not been able to for some time now. The CPL was played before empty seats in Trinidad and Tobago. He said he was looking forward to see people return to the stands and praised the authorities for doing what was necessary to make it possible.

“It’s been a while. It’s been a few months, maybe the longest cricket has gone without playing in front crowds. It’s good that New Zealand has dealt with the Covid situation the way they have so that we can be able to play in front of crowds here in New Zealand.”

Powell scored 107 from just 53 with four fours and 10 sixes as he became only the third West Indian batsman behind Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis to score a hundred in a T20 International. His 50 came up off just 31 balls as he dominated England’s bowlers.

Coming to the crease with the West Indies 48-2 after the home side lost the wickets of Brandon King for 10 and Shai Hope for four, Powell and Nicholas Pooran put on a West Indies record 122 runs for the third wicket.

Pooran was also in belligerent form scoring 70 from 43 balls with four fours and five sixes as quickly as he scored, Powell was quicker.

The 100-run partnership came up in just 56 balls with Powell getting 71 of them. The Jamaican’s 100 came up off 51 balls and became only the third West Indies batsman to score a century in a T20 International. Only Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis have achieved that prior to Powell’s innings.

He hit a six off the 52 bowled by Reece Topley but was out next ball going for another big hit.

Fabian Allen was out first ball of the 20^th over bowled by Tymal Mills but Captain Kieron Pollard, who made nine from four balls and Romario Shepherd 11 from five took the West Indies to their highest ever T20 score against England.

Rudolph crafted a brilliant 222 not out on day three of a crushing innings-and-60-run win in Chittagong aged only 21.

Australia's Charles Bannerman was the first cricketer to score a century on his Test bow against England way back in 1877, while the great W.G. Grace also hit a debut hundred.

We pick out five of the best debuts in the longest format over the years.

TIP-TOP FOSTER MAKES AUSTRALIA SUFFER

Reginald Erskine Foster, or 'Tip' as he was known, grasped his opportunity with both hands after being selected for the first Ashes Test in 1903.

Business commitments prevented Foster from making his England debut earlier, but he made up for lost time in Sydney with a record-breaking innings.

He made 287 - more than Australia's first innings total - after coming in at number five in the tourists' first innings, finding the boundary on 37 occasions.

England went on to win by five wickets thanks to Foster's knock, a Test record on debut. 

SWEET 16 FOR MASSIE

Bob Massie could not have dreamed of a better start to what proved to be a short Australia career.

The seamer tore through England in both innings of the second Test at Lord's in June 1972, claiming an incredible 16 wickets in the match.

Massie took 8-84 in the first innings and 8-53 second time around, setting up an emphatic eight-wicket victory.

His match figures of 16-137 are the fourth-best in Test history, not bad for a bowler who went on to play in only nine matches for his country.

ROWE THE KING OF SABINA PARK

Big things were expected of Lawrence Rowe ahead of his West Indies debut on his home ground Sabina Park against New Zealand in 1972.

The Jamaican batsman lived up to the hype in spectacular fashion, striking a flawless 214 in the first innings in Kingston.

Rowe inflicted more punishment on the tourists' attack in the second innings with 100 not out, becoming the first man to score a double-century and a hundred on his Test debut.

New Zealand salvaged a draw, but that did not take the gloss of the exploits of Rowe, who said: "This is my home ground, and I have no right to get out here."

TEENAGER HIRWANI TEARS THROUGH WINDIES

Narendra Hirwani hit the ground running with a sensational India bow against West Indies in Chennai 32 years ago.

The bespectacled leg spinner took 16 wickets in the fourth Test, with 8-61 in the first innings and 8-75 to put the seal on a 255-run thumping.

The 19-year-old claimed the scalps of greats such as Viv Richards, Desmond Haynes and Richie Richardson on a pitch that he would have loved to have rolled up and taken with him.

Hirwani played only 17 Tests, with his staggering debut proving to be something of a false dawn but his match figures of 16-136 versus the Windies are the third-best in the longest format.

RUDOLPH TAMES TIGERS

Rudolph was just 21 when he got his chance to showcase his talents in the longest format and he showed his class in MA Aziz Stadium.

The left-hander shared an unbroken third-wicket stand of 429 with Boeta Dippenaar, a South Africa record and the 10th highest in Test history.

Rudolph hit two sixes and found the rope 29 times in a masterful innings, laying the platform for a huge victory along with Dippenaar.

Bangladesh were unable to take a wicket on day two and were eventually put out of their misery when Graeme Smith declared on the third day.

Morgan's team are 2-1 down after three games of a five-match tussle, with each contest being staged at Bridgetown's Kensington Oval.

The World Cup-winning skipper played in the first two matches of the ongoing series but was sidelined for the third on Wednesday, suffering an injury in the warm-up which meant Moeen Ali led the team in his place.

England lost a high-scoring match by 20 runs, and they must also cope without Morgan's on-field leadership for the games on Saturday and Sunday.

The England and Wales Cricket Board said Morgan sustained "a low-grade quadriceps injury" in his right leg that was "relatively minor" but meant he could play no further active part in the series.

Cornwall, who has previously shown himself to be a good striker of the ball, particularly in the cricket's shortest format, is yet to translate any of that skill in recent Test team call-ups.  In five innings so far, Cornwall has a high of 10 runs, which he scored against England in July.

In Bangladesh, Cornwall, batting far down the order, scored 2 in the first innings of the first Test and ended without scoring in the second.  He added 4 not out in the first innings of the second Test.  If he is called upon, for Saturday’s fourth day, the bowler could be looking to free his arms for a useful total.

“Once I get the opportunity I would always love to contribute with the bat,” Cornwall said following day three.

“I don’t think my batting ability is showing at the moment, but I think runs are around the corner for me.  I just have to keep putting in the work with the coaches and when my opportunity comes I make good use if it.”

The 32-year-old heavy hitter showed no signs of a recent injury or quarantine fatigue, as he crashed 13 of the 19 deliveries he faced to the boundary.  His total included nine fours and four sixes - en route to an unbeaten 65.

Overall, the score put Russell in elite company, as he became the joint fifth fastest scorer of a half-century in T20 cricket.  Only compatriot Chris Gayle, India’s Yuvraj Singh and Afghanistan’s Hazratullah Zazai who reached the mark in 12 deliveries, and England’s Marcus Trescothick, who reached the mark in 13, remain ahead of Russell on the list.

In getting to the total of 96 for 1 from five overs, Colombo lost Russell’s opening partner Thikshila de Silva who was dismissed for a golden duck.  After being sent in to bat, Russell by himself scored three more runs than the entire Gladiators team when they unsuccessfully chased the target.  In fact, he was on 44 from 11 balls and just one six away from matching the fastest T20 half-century but could only take one run from the 12th delivery he faced.

 Danushka Gunathilaka top-scored for Gala with an unbeaten 30 as the Gladiators managed to get to 62 for 2.   

The 34-year-old has been one of the most controversial names when it comes to West Indies cricket team selection over the past few years.  The player has not represented the team since last year’s ICC T20 World Cup, with the unit having played several series since.  Despite taking part in several T20 leagues around the world, Russell has not been available to represent the West Indies.

The issue has been a source of frustration for fans as well as Windies coach Phil Simmons who recently expressed his discontent with the issue.  While insisting that he remains eager to represent the team, Russell pointed out that there is also the interest of both himself and his family to consider.

 "I always want to play and give back. But at the end of the day, if we are not agreeing on certain terms...they (CWI) have to respect my terms as well. At the end of the day, it is what it is,” Russell told Sky Sports.

 "We have families and we have to make sure that we give our best opportunity while we have one career. It's not like I can start over again. I'm 34 and I want to win another World Cup -- or two more -- for West Indies because at the end of the day, I'm here now, and I'm just taking it day by day," he added.

"Of course, of course. The maroon is all over. Honestly, I have two franchise hundreds and I wish those hundreds were actually playing for West Indies. I don't regret saying this just now. I really enjoyed playing for Jamaica Tallawahs but those two hundreds, it would be more special coming in international cricket.”

Russell is expected to return to the Caribbean to take part in the upcoming edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).  It remains to be seen whether the player will then be included as a part of the T20 World Cup squad for the tournament in Australia later this year.

The big hitter became the sixth West Indian to reach the mark behind the likes of Dwayne Bravo, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Kieron Pollard on top run-getter Chris Gayle.  Russell is, however, the youngest West Indian player to reach the total.

Russell, who was celebrating his birthday, reached the milestone with a double in the 16^th over of the match.  He went on to blast an unbeaten 45 from 27 deliveries but Delhi won the match by 7 runs.

Overall, Russell has played 80 matches in the Indian Premier League, scoring 1635 runs at an average of 29.68 with a strike rate of 179.67 and a high score of 88*.  He has also taken 68 wickets in IPL so far, at an economy rate of 9.08 and an average of 26.86.

 This season the player is off to a strong start for Kolkata, scoring 118 runs in six matches at a solid strike rate of 151. He has also claimed seven wickets in six games.  Things have, however, not gone well for KKR who have lost four of their first 6 games.

Matthew Forde is selected for the T20I squad for the first time, having impressed with the new ball throughout the past two CPL seasons and this follows his recent selection for the West Indies ODI squad. Sherfane Rutherford is also selected and returns to the squad after last representing the regional side in January of 2020. Gudakesh Motie returns to the T20I squad after recovering from injury which caused him to miss selection for the India Series. 

The T20I squad also sees the return of all-rounder, Andre Russell, who last played for the Men in Maroon at the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the UAE.  Johnson Charles, Obed McCoy, Odean Smith and Oshane Thomas miss out on selection after featuring in the previous T20I squad.

Shai Hope becomes the vice-captain of the T20I team, to add to his role as captain of the West Indies ODI team. The Selection Panel has the opportunity for squad adjustments ahead of the final two matches of the Series to be played at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on from 19 to 21 December.

Speaking about the composition of the squad, CWI lead selector, the Honorable Dr. Desmond Haynes said: “This will be the final home T20I series for the West Indies in 2023, as they prepare to be one of the two host teams for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA in June 2024. We have selected a squad that we think gives us the best chance of success in that tournament.  We will continue to assess in the lead up to the competition." 

Fans can purchase tickets online and in advance from the Windies Tickets service, presented by MasterCard. Fans can save up to 20% on tickets when they purchase online in advance and local fans can benefit from other promotions and benefits. West Indies fans can also benefit from a further saving thanks to Mastercard, West Indies official payments partner. Caribbean fans who register with a Caribbean address and a Caribbean-bank issued Mastercard, can benefit from a further 20% off selected tickets when visting the following link: https://www.windiescricket.com/news/west-indies-fans-to-benefit-from-special-mastercard-ticket-promotion-as-official-partner-of-the-west-indies/

Venue box offices are open at least 5 days in advance of each match.

Catch the action live in the Caribbean on Rush, the Flow Sports App, or the Sportsmax App and on TNT Sports in the UK. Visit the windiescricket.com website for further details on the live broadcast with our other media partners around the world.  

FULL SQUAD

1. Rovman Powell (Captain)
2. Shai Hope (Vice-Captain)
3. Roston Chase
4. Matthew Forde
5. Shimron Hetmyer
6. Jason Holder
7. Akeal Hosein
8. Alzarri Joseph
9. Brandon King
10. Kyle Mayers
11. Gudakesh Motie
12. Nicholas Pooran
13. Andre Russell
14. Sherfane Rutherford
15. Romario Shepherd

West Indies v England T20I Series Schedule (Match start time in brackets) 

1^st T20I – 12 December – Kensington Oval, Barbados (6.00pm local time/5.00pm Jamaica time)
2^nd T20I – 14 December – National Stadium, Grenada (1:30pm local time/12.30pm Jamaica time)
3^rd T20I – 16 December – National Stadium, Grenada (1:30pm local time/12.30pm Jamaica time)
4^th T20I – 19 December – Brian Lara Academy, Trinidad (4:00pm local time/3.00pm Jamaica time)
5^th T20I – 21 December – Brian Lara Academy, Trinidad (4:00pm local time/12.30pm Jamaica time)

Stadium gates open two hours before first ball is bowled. 

The 31-year-old Jamaica has been largely criticized for declining to join the West Indies team with former fast bowler Sir Curtly Ambrose questioning the player’s commitment to the regional side.

Russell had initially declined the invitation to represent the West Indies in New Zealand citing the need to be free of the Covid-19 lockdown protocols he had to endure during the 2020 Hero CPL season in Trinidad and Tobago, and the subsequent IPL season in Abu Dhabi.

However, shortly thereafter it was reported that Russell had signed for the Colombo Kings in Sir Lanka’s T20 Premier League (LPL).

His actions triggered the ire of many fans across the region as well as West Indies fast bowling great Sir Curtly Ambrose.

“Because he wants to clear his head for a while to get his mind together, I have no problem with that because cricket is a high-pressure game. So if you want to clear your head for a while, take your mind off cricket I have no issues with that, but if you are going to reject playing for your nation, your country, and then two weeks later you’re playing for somebody else, that to me is a no-no,” Ambrose said during a recent conversation on the Mason&Guest radio show in Barbados.

“Where is the commitment? That tells me that you don’t want to play for the West Indies. If that is the case, just say so.”

However, while speaking on the Sportsmax Zone on Tuesday, Russell explained why he ended up playing in Sri Lanka while the West Indies were losing their series 2-0 in New Zealand. He claimed the pressure of living in the bubble was too much.

"I changed my stance. I changed my technique. I changed my trigger movement, all of these things I changed just to score runs in IPL and nothing was going my way. The pressure was real," Russell said, who failed to live up to expectation in both leagues. “Playing cricket in a bubble and you're not performing, it can really take a toll.”

He said he had conversations with Shimron Hetmyer and Keemo Paul, who explained that after the initial 14-day quarantine in New Zealand, the restrictions would have been relaxed. It was after that conversation that he said he approached the selectors but by then it was too late.

 After his missed opportunity to join the West Indies squad, Russell said he received a text message from Angelo Matthews while he was in Dubai asking him to play for the Colombo Kings. He said he accepted the offer adding that the time off he spent in Dubai helped give him the mental strength to go back into a bubble.