The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Senior Men’s Selection Panel on Friday named the fifteen-man squad for the West Indies “A” Team tour of Bangladesh. Joshua Da Silva, the West Indies Test wicket-keeper/batter, will captain the team in the three four-day “Test” matches against Bangladesh “A” starting on 16 May.
Along with Da Silva, the 15-member squad includes other players with West Indies Test match experience: left-handed opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul, left-handed allrounder Raymon Reifer, fast bowler Anderson Phillip and left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie.
The squad also includes three newcomers to the international level: openers Kirk McKenzie and Zachary McCaskie as well as fast bowler Jair McAllister. All three made their first-class debuts during the West Indies Championship four-day first-class tournament earlier this year.
Lead Selector, the Most Honorable Dr. Desmond Haynes, stated that the aim was to pick a balanced team as they look to expose the players to overseas conditions.
“We selected a group of players who we think could benefit from the exposure in Bangladesh and we also have our eyes on the upcoming Test Series against India in the Caribbean.”
He added: “Among the newcomers, we have pace bowler McAllister who is fast and strong and has the ability to unsettle batters. McCaskie had a solid start to his first-class career, showed good temperament, and also has the ability to play all around the wicket. McKenzie was eye-catching during his double-century for the West Indies Academy in the Headley Weekes Tri-Series. It was a superb knock and demonstrated that the investment in the Academy is bearing fruit.”
West Indies “A” Team will arrive in Bangladesh on 11 May and play the three four-day “Test” matches at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium (SICS) in Sylhet. These matches will have full first-class status.
This “A” team tour reciprocates the Bangladesh “A” team tour of the West Indies in August 2022, when the teams drew both a two-match series of four-day first-class matches and also a three-match 50-over series at the Daren Sammy Stadium in Saint Lucia.
FULL SQUAD
Joshua DaSilva (Captain)
Alick Athanaze
Yannic Cariah
Keacy Carty
Tagenarine Chanderpaul
Tevin Imlach
Akeem Jordan
Brandon King
Jair McAllister
Zachary McCaskie
Kirk McKenzie
Gudakesh Motie
Anderson Phillip
Raymon Reifer
Kevin Sinclair
MATCH SCHEDULE
All matches at SICS, Sylhet
16-19 May: 1st “Test”
23-26 May: 2nd “Test”
30 May to 2 June: 3rd “Test”